Transformer fire gives students day off

David Hodge saw smoke and flames coming from the transformer (background). Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

More than 3000 Rangitoto College students will have today off because an electrical outage has left the school without power or a working sewage system.

A transformer at the Mairangi Bay college - the largest in the country - blew yesterday morning, forcing Rangitoto to send students home early as a health and safety precaution.

Principal David Hodge said electricity company Vector expected to have completed fixing the fault early this morning, but the school wanted to be careful in switching on the supply "piece by piece".

"We don't think we can have the school operating by midday at the earliest. We have switched the gas for the heating off at the mains ... and the key issue for us is sewerage - it is run by electricity and you can't have an institution of 3100 kids with a system that doesn't work."

He light-heartedly said he felt the school was in a vein of bad luck.

"What can you do? We started the term with a barrage of interest from the media [over swine flu] and we are sort of ending it that way too."

Vector spokeswoman Phillipa White said the cause of the transformer failure might not be known for a few days. Technicians were working overnight to replace it.

Mr Hodge said he was in his office when he saw flames and thick black smoke coming from the transformer about 11am.

The nearest classrooms were evacuated but most students stayed in class until the college consulted the Ministry of Education and sent them home at 1pm.