Firefighters tackling large blaze at school
#fire #school blaze #Okehampton #Devon fire service #smoke plume #emergency response #school damage #police warning
📌 Key Takeaways
- Firefighters responding to large blaze at The Promise School in Okehampton
- 15 fire vehicles deployed to the scene with no injuries reported
- School building severely damaged with significant smoke plume affecting area
- Police warning residents to keep windows and doors closed
- Parents to be contacted overnight about future plans
📖 Full Retelling
Local resident Glennon Walters described how his three-year-old son first noticed the dark smoke from their home window, noting that 'dark smoke normally means something industrial' and that they initially didn't realize the fire was at the new school until seeing photographs. Sergeant Tom Ottley of Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed there was 'significant damage to the entire school' and characterized the blaze as 'quite a significant sized blaze,' adding that while the fire is now under control with no further risk to property or casualties, the focus has shifted to controlling the damage and assessing the full extent of the destruction. Police have established communication with the school administration and are working to contact parents of pupils overnight with information about plans for the coming days, while also urging workers in the area to check for the latest updates before traveling on Monday.
🏷️ Themes
Emergency Response, School Safety, Community Impact
📚 Related People & Topics
Okehampton
Town in Devon, England
Okehampton ( or ) is a town and civil parish in West Devon in the English county of Devon. At the 2021 census, the parish had a population of 7,313, which was slightly more than the 7,104 recorded at the 2011 census. The Okehampton built-up area had a population of 9,112 at the 2021 census, up from ...
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Firefighters tackling large blaze at school 2 hours ago Share Save Alex Green South West Share Save Firefighters are tackling a large blaze at a school in Devon. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue said it was alerted to the blaze at The Promise School, in Okehampton, at about 15:30 GMT. A spokesperson for the fire service said reports came in of "flames" and "thick black smoke" in the area. They said about 15 fire service vehicles were sent to the scene, plus special appliances, and no injuries had been reported. Glennon Walters, who lives nearby, said his three-year-old son saw the smoke through the window of their home. He said: "It was dark smoke, so that normally means something industrial. So we knew it was up in the industrial estate just from the smoke, but we didn't realise it was the new school until we took the pictures." At 17:45, the fire service said the fire was creating a "significant smoke plume" in the area and the building was severely damaged. Devon and Cornwall Police asked anyone who lived in the Stockley Hamlet area to ensure their windows and doors were closed, and asked people to avoid the area if possible. Sgt Tom Ottley said there was "significant damage to the entire school". "[It is] quite a significant sized blaze, fire have it under control, we don't believe there's any further risk to property or any casualties at the moment, so it's just about trying to control the damage and assess the damage thereafter," he added. Ottley said police were in touch with the school and parents of its pupils would be contacted overnight to let them know about plans for the coming days. He urged anyone who worked in the area to check for the latest information on Monday before travelling. Follow BBC Devon on X , Facebook , and Instagram . Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk . Related internet links Devon and Somerset Fire And Rescue Service Devon and Cornwall Police Devon Okehampton
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