A significant fire threatened to devastate a public school in Orange, located in the central west of New South Wales, but was halted by the prompt actions of Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews.
The blaze ignited on the upper level of a two-story structure at the Maxwell Avenue school at approximately 10:30 PM, leading to a roof collapse.
Swift Emergency Response
A total of seven FRNSW trucks, alongside four Rural Fire Service tankers, responded quickly to the scene. Several classrooms and the school's library were consumed by the flames.
In addition to the fire response, support came from NSW Police, NSW Ambulance, and technicians from an energy company, who ensured that power to the area was cut as a precautionary measure.
Precautionary Evacuations and Defensive Measures
As a safeguard, nearby residences were evacuated while fire units devised a defensive strategy to halt the spread of the fire. Firefighters, equipped with breathing apparatus, managed to access the building and found that the ground floor office remained remarkably intact and suffered minimal damage.
Ongoing Investigation
The Fire Investigation and Research Unit (FIRU) of FRNSW has been tasked with discovering the ignition source of the fire, as part of an ongoing investigation.
