Neighbours save school from fire

A toilet block used to store furniture and equipment was destroyed in the blaze. Picture / Paul Estcourt

An Auckland intermediate school escaped severe fire damage early yesterday morning, thanks to the quick action of neighbours.

Fire Safety Officer Russell Dickson said several neighbours of Pasadena Intermediate School in Pt Chevalier woke at about 1am yesterday to the sound of loud banging.

"They looked out the window, saw flames and called the Fire Service," said Mr Dickson.

By the time firefighters arrived a toilet block, used to store furniture and the caretaker's equipment, was alight and the fire was spreading to adjoining classrooms.

Firefighters contained the fire, leaving only water and ceiling damage in one classroom. The toilet block was gutted.

An internal monitored alarm system also alerted the Fire Service, but only once smoke broke through into the classroom block, long after the neighbours' phonecalls.

"Another five minutes and we would have had a serious school fire," Mr Dickson said.

School principal Tony Walsh said initial estimates put the cost of rebuilding the toilet block at around $115,000. It was not yet known how much it would cost to replace the equipment stored in the block.

Mr Walsh said staff were grateful none of the students' work or teaching resources had been destroyed in the fire.