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A fire that has gutted two classrooms and closed a Kapiti Coast school is suspicious, firefighters say.
Firefighters were alerted to a blaze at Kenakena School shortly before 4am today.
Ten crews attended the fire, which was shooting out of classroom windows and roofs when they arrived.
It took about half an hour to control the blaze at the primary school.
Paraparaumu senior station office Gordon Barratt told NZPA two classrooms had been completely gutted and would have to be demolished.
The fire had also got into the roof of an administrative area on one side of the classrooms, seriously damaging it.
However, firefighters had managed the stop the fire spreading to another classroom and library on the other side of the block.
Mr Barratt said the fire was suspicious and a fire safety officer and police were investigating.
He said a security guard was first on the scene, but the fire was already well alight by the time he arrived and he had not seen anyone in the area.
Crews were still dowsing down embers this morning and police said the school would close its doors for the day.
- NZPA
