Police have launched an arson investigation after a fire at a Newport primary school. Emergency services were called to Tredegar Park Primary School on Monday, September 5, at about 7.50pm to reports of a fire on the school grounds.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service spent just over an hour tackling the blaze, with crews from Duffryn, Maindee and New Inn stations in attendance. Fire officers spent just over an hour tacking the blaze.
Reports on social media suggested that the fire started after the building had been struck by lightning, but these have now been debunked after an investigation between Gwent Police and the fire service showed it had been started deliberately. An arson investigation has now been launched.
Read more: Inside the rundown house and former bicycle shop going to auction that still has bikes inside
Following the incident, Newport City Council confirmed damage had been caused but the school was "unaffected" by the fire "and will re-open to pupils as planned tomorrow" (Wednesday, September 7)
A spokesperson for Newport City Council said: "There was a fire in a small building in the grounds of Tredegar Park Primary School yesterday evening. Although damage was caused, the school is unaffected and will reopen to pupils as planned tomorrow. Newport City Council and the school would like to thank the fire service for its prompt attendance and the way it dealt with the incident. The fire service and the police are working together to determine the cause of the fire. In the light of the ongoing investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further."
A South Wales Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "At approximately 7.50pm on Monday the 5th of September 2022, we received reports of a fire on Partridge Way in Duffryn, Newport. Crews from Duffryn, Maindee and New Inn Fire and Rescue Stations attended the scene and extinguished the fire using specialist equipment. A stop message was received at approximately 8:57pm."
Gwent Police confirmed an arson investigation had been launched and are asking for anyone with information, including CCTV, to contact them by calling 101 or sending the force a direct message on social media, quoting log reference 2200302376.
Read next:
- Entire primary school in Newport forced to relocate because of safety fears at building
- Shipping container takeaways started by three friends planning big expansion
- Families unable to move to new housing development and facing huge additional costs due to land dispute
- 'I've lost everything' Man who has lived in sprawling shipping container home for 30 years evicted by council
