Children nearly trapped in fire

Press, 27 March 1979, Page 2

Children nearly trapped in fire

PA Dunedin Two young children who set fire to the Brighton primary school at the week-end nearly burned themselves to death in the process, according to the Dunedin police. The children, aged six and seven, were nearly trapped in the blazing building after setting fire to a piano and paper with matches they found there. Detective Senior-Ser-geant G. Howell warned children that this was what could happen if they played with matches. The children entered the

building through a door on Saturday afternoon and it is not clear whether the door had been locked. Once the fire had started, they had to retreat “through another room and escape through windows. “They were fortunate to escape,” Senior-Sergeant Howell said. Ninety pupils and four teachers from the Brighton school had an unexpected holiday yesterday because of the fire. The school principal, Mr W. A. Morris, said that damage was estimated at $BO,OOO.

“Two classroom blocks, the staff-room and the library were all burnt down,” he said. A lot of money was tied up in the library books, musical equipment, and sports equipment lost in the blaze. Mr Morris said that many Brighton residents and organisations had offered facilities for the school to use until it was established again. He hoped the school would open again within a fortnight, depending on the availability of class-

rooms from the Otago Education Board. Another three young children also set fire to a house in Montague Street, North East Valley, at the week-end. Two children aged six and one aged seven were responsible, said the police. The children set fire to an old w'ooden house on Sunday morning and a shed to the rear of the property was destroyed. All the children have been apprehended, but they are too young to be prosecuted.