Davidson's Mains Primary School: Pupils evacuated after fire breaks out at Edinburgh school

Pupils at a school in Edinburgh had to evacuate their classrooms after a fire broke out in the building on Friday afternoon.
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Staff and students at Davidson’s Mains Primary were forced to retreat from the building shortly after Midday, as two crews of firefighters arrived on scene.

Shocked bystanders on Corbiehill Road watched as smoke billowed from the roof of the school’s sports hall, where children also gather to eat lunch.

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One eyewitness told the Evening News that there were police officers “all over the place” directing traffic away from the primary.

The fire is believed to have started on the roof.The fire is believed to have started on the roof.
The fire is believed to have started on the roof.

Footage taken from the school grounds shows how firefighters managed to dowse the flames from the top of a fire engine’s extendable ladder.

Edinburgh City Council officials later confirmed that there were no casualties in the blaze, and that no one had been inside the hall when it had broken out.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) investigation team visited the scene to check the stability of the roof.

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The school, which is expected to reopen for classes on Monday as usual, told parents to provide children with packed lunches while the damage to the hall is assessed and repaired.

A fire broke out at Davidson's Mains Primary School in Edinburgh. Photo: Michael GillenA fire broke out at Davidson's Mains Primary School in Edinburgh. Photo: Michael Gillen
A fire broke out at Davidson's Mains Primary School in Edinburgh. Photo: Michael Gillen

Staff and pupils will also be asked to avoid the hall by using alternative entrances on the campus, and physical education lessons will take place outdoors temporarily.

Local Councillor Louise Young visited the school on Friday afternoon, paying tribute to the children and the emergency services involved.

“All those fire drills paid off,” she said, “and I have heard that the kids were fantastic and cleared out the school quickly and calmly.

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“I’m also grateful to the fire services who were on site and had the fire contained quickly, which meant the damage was contained.”

Scottish Fire and Rescue in attendance at Davidson's Mains Primary School. Photo: Michael GillenScottish Fire and Rescue in attendance at Davidson's Mains Primary School. Photo: Michael Gillen
Scottish Fire and Rescue in attendance at Davidson's Mains Primary School. Photo: Michael Gillen

A spokesperson for the SFRS said: “We were alerted at 12.21pm on Friday, August 27 to reports of a fire at a building on Corbiehill Road, Edinburgh.

“Operations Control mobilised two appliances and one height vehicle to the property which has been evacuated.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were made aware of the fire and officers provided some assistance with traffic management.”

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