Arabic version: حريق يدمر مبنى مدرسة غلينديل للتكنولوجيا الثانوية

A fire has destroyed a two-storey building at Glendale Technology High School in the NSW Lake Macquarie region. The incident occurred early on Sunday morning, with flames first reported around 1am today. According to ABC News, over 50 firefighters and 12 firefighting trucks responded to the quickly escalating blaze.

Fire and Rescue Chief Superintendent Terry Farley noted that the firefighters did an amazing job in containing the fire to within that structure, limiting any further damage to other buildings in the school. Unfortunately, the two-level building, which housed a student wellbeing room, canteen, school hall, and basketball court, was fully destroyed.

A crime scene has been established as authorities begin an investigation into the cause of the fire. Specialist fire investigators from Sydney are set to determine whether any suspicious circumstances contributed to the incident. Chief Superintendent Farley stated that it is too early to say if there are suspicious circumstances.

With the start of term two for schools across NSW today, it remains uncertain when students and teachers will be able to return to the school grounds. While the principal is reportedly conducting business as usual, the timeline for reopening will depend on assessments by NSW Police and the Department of Education.