YOUNGSTERS had to be rescued from a blaze that ripped through a primary school, causing extensive damage.

 

Around 14 children who were attending an after school club at St Dominic's Primary, Airdrie, were rushed to safety when a fire swept through the entire building.

Witnesses said it appeared that the fire started on the roof of the building near two workmen.

About 25 households near the school were evacuated from their homes due to the blaze, which broke out at 3.55pm yesterday.

They were taken to a community centre and offered accommodation for the night.

Dozens of firefighters tackled the blaze through the night.

After-school care worker Sinead McMullan, 19, described how she saw flames on the window blind and evacuated the children out safely.

She said: "We were in the dinner hall and I just started to smell smoke.

"I looked to the gym and saw the window blinds were on fire. I called on the janitor.

"The kids knew what to do, they knew there was a fire. So I got them outside, they ran out the back and lined up in the playground.

"We moved them away because the smoke was spreading.

"The fire seemed to circle the whole roof, it was so quick to spread."

The Scottish Fire and Rescue service said homes were evacuated as a precaution.

Karen Kyle, 34 and her three children aged three, 10 and 15, live in the home nearest the school.

It is expected that her home will be damaged by the smoke and water used by fire teams.

She said: "My son is in Petersburn Nursery beside the school and I was picking him up at the time.

"I couldn't believe it spread so quickly. It just went all the way round the roof.

"I was in tears, I thought my house would be gone. I was thinking of everything we lost."

The residents were taken to Airdrie Football Stadium and later moved to Gartlea Community Centre.

They were offered accommodation for the night but most stayed with family.

Residents spoke of their shock at the blaze.

Grahame Marshall, 52, an estate agent, said: "I spoke to the headteacher just after the fire started and she was devastated.

"The fire started on the roof where workmen were. They were working with an open flame to tar the roof. It just spread right through.

"The fire was raging. It's wiped out a whole school. There was a lot of panic.

"It means displacement for several hundred children."

Scott Cairney, 19, said: "Everyone knows people who went to this school. This is sad for the whole community."