Two years to rebuild Auckland school

The blaze engulfs classrooms at Glendowie Primary School. Photo / NZPA

It will take up to two years to rebuild classrooms at Auckland's Glendowie Primary School after they burned to the ground on Friday night.

Police are investigating the fire, in which the Fire Service believed an accelerant may have been used. CCTV footage showed the fire, which had been apparently smouldering for some time, spread rapidly once it took off.

The blaze destroyed a two-storey block at the rear of the school, the classrooms for the youngest pupils. Some intermediate classrooms were damaged as well.

There had been no other cases of arson at the school, and the damage was devastating, board of trustees chairwoman Dawn Garbett said.

"The school is very popular, very well-respected, the community loves us and supports us. We are all hoping it's just almost an accident," she told NZPA.

The school grounds were not closed off to the community, and lots of people used them outside of school hours, she said.

Dr Garbett, who lives three minutes away, arrived at the school about 8.30pm once the flames were visible, and already 10 or 15 fire appliances were on the scene.

The fire took over two hours to put out and smoke could be seen throughout Auckland.

The Ministry of Education had told the school it would take 18 months to two years to rebuild the classrooms.

"Luckily, being the holidays, there were no children in the classrooms at all. Every child expected to come back to a new classroom, so it was not as terrible as if it was the middle of the year," she said.

The school has a roll of about 650 pupils.

The 150 students affected would be accommodated in removable prefabs which would be made as pleasant and permanent-looking as possible.

The area was fenced off and a handwritten note about what happened was put on the main gates, as the school's internet server was down and there was only one phone line.

The ministry aimed to have the school ready to open when the new year starts, in about four weeks.

Police could not be contacted for comment on their investigation.

- NZPA