Saddened staff seek reasons for attack on school

Firefighters say the blaze at the Hamilton East School was well under way when they arrived around 6am. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Hamilton teacher Sheryl Nagels is still trying to understand why someone would consider trying to burn her historic school down.

Ms Nagels, a new entrants teacher at the decile 4 Hamilton East School for the past 14 years, was yesterday sifting through the burned remains of a classroom totally gutted in an arson attack.

"Our school has problems with vandals like any other school but this really is distressing ... it's a very old school," said Ms Nagels.

The school, which is part of the Hamilton East Heritage Trail, was first established nearby at Steele Park in 1872. It has been at its present site since 1876 and is Hamilton's oldest school.

Firefighters were called to the school, on the corner of Dawson and Grey Sts, shortly before 6am yesterday and arrived to find a vacant classroom well ablaze.

"There was fire coming out of the windows and a lot of smoke, it was pretty well involved," said acting senior station officer Peter Reddish.

Mr Reddish said the fire began in the classroom foyer and was suspicious. Cuttings from pruned trees around the school, placed in an alcove between the rooms and a rubber mat, could have been used to start the fire.

The worst-affected classroom, which was to be used later in the year by students, was completely gutted by fire and nothing in it was salvageable.

Adjoining classrooms were spared but there is extensive smoke damage and large sections of roofing will have to be replaced.

Detective senior sergeant Nigel Keall of Hamilton CIB said the matter was "a clear case of arson".

He is appealing for any information from the public.

"There will be some very upset children when they return to their school after the holidays to find that some mindless person has done this."

But Hamilton East School deputy principal Linda Woolhouse said despite the loss of thousands of dollars worth of materials and children's books, pens and felts, there was a silver lining in the tragedy.

"The building is listed with the Historic Places Trust so it will be replaced, just hopefully with a few more bells and whistles," she said.