Emotional cost of destroyed classes

Glendowie Primary School student Lara Nielsen with mother Kim. Photo / Doug Sherring

Closed circuit television footage has shown just how quickly a fire erupted through an East Auckland primary school.

Board chairwoman Dawn Garbett said it took three minutes for the fire to rip through 10 classrooms at Glendowie Primary on Friday night. Fire officials, though, believe it had been smouldering away for some time before exploding into a fireball.

The fire also destroyed an art room and two resource rooms at the 650-pupil school.

Although the Ministry of Education is already working to ensure school opens as planned next month, up to 170 pupils will probably be taught in temporary classrooms for the next 18 months to two years, Garbett said.

She said the destroyed classrooms were used for the school's youngest pupils.

Ray Coleman, senior fire investigator, said there was nothing to indicate that the fire was accidental in any way. "It remains an indeterminate or suspicious fire."

Up to 70 firefighters and 20 fire engines were on the scene until 2am yesterday.

Student Lara Nielsen, 6, was among dozens of Glendowie residents at the school gates yesterday.

She was clutching a pink bag containing a letter, three chocolates and a candy cane for Glendowie principal, Anne-Marie Biggs.

The note read: "Dear Mrs Biggs, Sorry about our school and all the effort you put into the whole school. I can help if you want me to make the school better again, Love from Lara XXXX OOOO."

Lara even taped $3 of her pocket money to the note.

Lara's mother, Kim Nielsen, a volunteer in one of the destroyed resource rooms, said it was hard enough for parents to come to terms with the devastation, let alone young children.

Police are investigating the fire and anyone with information can contact Glen Innes CIB or 0800 555111.