Watch: Drone video reveals extent of damage to St Martins School after fire wrecked solar panels
New drone images have revealed the extent of damage to a Shropshire village school building after a "serious" fire broke out at its premises.
Firefighters remained at the school scene throughout this morning (Monday, September 22) following the blaze at the all-through school in the village of St Martins near Oswestry yesterday evening.
Flames and smoke were seen coming from the school building at around 5.24pm yesterday, prompting a large-scale response from emergency services.
In a message to parents and carers, as well as a public notice, St Martins School headteacher Mrs Alison Pope said the fire is believed to be connected to the building's solar panels.
Drone footage captured by the Shropshire Star today shows the extent of damage to the building, including solar panels on the roof.
A total of eight fire engines and an aerial ladder platform were deployed to tackle the incident, with additional support from the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service (NWFRS).
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus tackled the blaze using hose reel jets, and employed thermal imaging cameras to identify and extinguish hot spots. Positive pressure ventilation fans were also used to clear smoke from the building.
Crews worked both inside the school and from its rooftop to prevent the fire from spreading to other areas of the site.
The fire service confirmed that crews remained on the site to ensure the area was safe and that no further danger remained.
