Churchlands SHS to be rebuilt after a devastating fire

26/5/97

Churchlands Senior High School, the scene of a devastating fire this morning, will be restored or rebuilt as soon as possible after being fully assessed by the Education Department.

Education Minister Colin Barnett inspected the extensive damage with local MLA Dr Elizabeth Constable this morning and praised the quick efforts of the fire brigade to contain the damage.

Mr Barnett also sent his support to staff, parents and the school's 1,000 students and ensured them that every endeavour was being made by the Education Department to accommodate their needs.

Ten classrooms, including computing and business, and 30 other rooms, including administration facilities, have been either destroyed or affected by the fire. Early estimates suggest repairing the school could cost up to $3 million.

This would make it the most costly school fire since the $3.5 million Toodyay District High School blaze in 1993.

"The immediate issue at the moment is to accommodate the students who use the classrooms either on site or at nearby schools with spare capacity, so their education continues as quickly and as normally as possible," Mr Barnett said.

"A tragedy of this nature is obviously very disruptive. However, the school and department are managing well under the circumstances and the students should be able return to normal classes tomorrow.

"At the same time, the Education Department is working quickly to assess the situation and will report on a timeframe to repair or rebuild the school once the full extent of the damage is known."

Mr Barnett said it appeared the fire had spread quickly through the ceiling of the second storey of the school damaging both the upper and lower levels in some areas.

"Churchlands Senior High School was built 30 years ago and because of the building materials used during the 1960s, the school is more prone to fire spreading quickly," he said.

"Over the last 12 months, the Education Department has held discussions with the Fire and Rescue Service on how to build new schools and additions to take them beyond the minimum standards required for new building so that the risk of this type of tragedy can be minimised."

Mr Barnett said Churchlands was due to undergo a $1.5 million upgrade, including improvements to design and technology, home economics, theatre arts, media and photography buildings, but that this would be delayed to coincide with the rebuilding of the school.