Published on:
07
June 2021
Councillors have praised the emergency services and Council officers for their efforts following a fire at Deerpark Primary and Lochies School in Sauchie at the weekend.
The fire happened on Saturday evening. But thanks to the efforts of Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Police Scotland and Council staff, the schools were able to open as normal on Monday morning for staff and pupils.
Thankfully the fire caused limited damage and no-one was in the building at the time.
Education spokesperson Councillor Graham Lindsay said: “I was really disappointed to hear about the fire at Deerpark and Lochies, but pleased to hear that the schools were able to open on Monday as normal thanks to everyone’s efforts. I think, during this pandemic, we’ve all realised just how important school buildings are to our children, families and communities. This is especially true for Lochies, where pupils have severe and complex additional support needs. Clearly those responsible can’t have thought about the potential impact their actions could have had.”
Lochies Headteacher Donna Wheater added: “This was a worrying event for the whole school community, but thanks to the swift actions of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Clackmannanshire Council staff there has been minimal damage. We are extremely thankful that none of our teaching spaces or areas that our children access have been damaged. Police Scotland and Clackmannanshire Council have been working closely and extensively together for some time to keep both schools as secure as possible.”
Lochies Parent Council added: "Lochies Parent Council members were kept up to date on developments on Saturday evening by the Headteacher. We are relieved that our children are able to access all areas of Lochies today. Our thanks go to Fire Scotland, Clackmannanshire Council and the local community for their swift actions and response."