Pupils at arson-hit Bolton school gradually return to class after Christmas

Following a serious fire at the end of December, staff at a school in Bolton have been forced to stagger the return of pupils after the Christmas break.

The fire at the Kearsley Academy in Kearsley, Bolton, is believed to have started at around 9.10pm on Tuesday 28th December 2010, causing serious damage to a classroom and smoke-logging the whole building.

Around twenty firefighters from Manchester Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene, using breathing apparatus, hosereel jets and thermal imaging to extinguish the fire. Positive pressure fans were also employed to clear the clouds of toxic smoke from the building. The cause of the fire is believed to be arson, but investigations are still ongoing.

Speaking after the fire, Principal Dr Nigel Jepston said:

“We are grateful to the services of the firefighters who contained the fire to the classroom.”

A clean-up operation has been underway since the night of the fire, but lingering electrical problems mean that not all pupils can return at once for the start of the new term. Two-thirds of the school is currently without electricity, and one classroom is temporarily out of action. This means that pupils will only be permitted to return to school gradually.