Toddlers rushed to safety from holiday club after fire at UK school | UK | News
Young children have been evacuated from a playgroup and taken to safety following a fire at a school in England during the ongoing summer holidays. Plumes of smoke were seen billowing from the windows of Awel Y Môr Primary School in Port Talbot, Wales, on Wednesday morning.
A large number of firefighters were called to the school at around 10:00 in the morning upon the notice of a fire in the area. Firefighters from Port Talbot, Neath Swansea Central, Morriston and Swansea West Fire Stations worked to control the fire and left the scene at around 12.45pm. But before emergency services arrived, staff attending the Flying Start session moved quickly to evacuate children attending the Lots of Tots holiday club, which was held in a separate area of the school.
While firefighters intervened at the scene, the young people were taken to a safe place. Due to the fire and the disruption it caused, the Flying Start group was canceled for the remainder of the week.
A post from the group said it thanked staff “for evacuating the children in a calm and professional manner.”
A Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “At 10.10am on Wednesday 22 July, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews from Port Talbot, Neath Swansea Central, Morriston and Swansea West Fire Stations were called to an incident at Awel Y Mor Primary School in Port Talbot.
“The teams intervened in the fire that broke out inside the Sandwich Panels of the school. The teams used 4 breathing apparatus sets and 2 hose reel jets, a spiral staircase and a water gun to extinguish the fire. The teams left the scene at 12.43.”
A post from the Lots of Tots group reads: “Following a fire at the main school building, we will be closed for the rest of this week.
“We will assess the damage and plan for the safe return of children and staff to the undamaged playgroup. “A reopening date or decision cannot be made until a full assessment has been completed.
“Finally, a big thank you to the staff for evacuating the children in a calm and professional manner and ensuring the safety of everyone.”
