Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews have stopped a major fire from destroying a public school overnight at Orange in the state's central west.
The blaze took hold on the top floor of a two-story building in the Maxwell Avenue school around 10.30pm, causing the roof to collapse.
Seven FRNSW trucks and four Rural Fire Service tankers rushed to the scene where a number of classrooms and the school's library were ablaze.
Support from NSW Police, NSW Ambulance
NSW Police, NSW Ambulance and energy company technicians also provided support at the scene as the power was cut as a safety measure.
Nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution as fire crews established a defensive strategy to prevent the flames spreading.
Firefighters, wearing breathing apparatus, entered the building and discovered the ground floor office was intact and relatively undamaged. FRNSW's Fire Investigation and Research Unit (FIRU) is trying to determine the cause of the blaze.