St Nicholas Catholic Primary School Reports School Fire Damage

A school fire broke out in one classroom at St Nicholas Catholic Primary School in Exeter on Tuesday, May 12, and classrooms were evacuated while crews dealt with the blaze. No one is believed to have been injured, and the school said all pupils, staff and visitors were safely accounted for.

St Nicholas Catholic Primary School

Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said crews were called at around 2pm and found a small fire in a display case in one classroom. A spokesperson said: "At around 2pm today, crews were called to a fire at St Nicholas Catholic Primary School, in Exeter. Upon arrival crews confirmed a small fire in one classroom involving a display case."

The fire service said a total of 3 appliances attended the incident. Firefighters used breathing apparatus, hose reel jets, a safety jet, a thermal imaging camera and small tools to extinguish the fire.

Exeter Fire Response

The school said it worked with the fire service and relevant authorities to assess the situation and put contingency arrangements in place to minimise disruption to pupils’ education. It also thanked emergency services and the school community for their support and cooperation.

The fire service said the building suffered 5% fire damage and 20% smoke damage. The school fire was extinguished the same day, leaving the immediate issue at the site to cleaning, repair and whatever arrangements the school keeps in place for pupils returning to their classrooms.