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Police have charged a teenager with starting a fire at Inverell High School yesterday.
About 1.30pm police and emergency services were called to a fire at a high school on Brae Street, Inverell.
On arrival, Fire and Rescue NSW officers discovered the roof of the industrial arts building to be well-alight but were able to extinguish the fire a short-time later.
All staff and students were evacuated without incident and no one was injured.
A crime scene was established and detectives and specialist police attended.
Police from New England Local Area Command began investigations into the cause of the suspicious blaze and arrested a 14-year-old girl.
She was taken to Inverell Police Station and later charged with recklessly cause damage by fire.
The girl was granted conditional bail to appear at a children’s court on Thursday, March 12
EARLIER
AN investigation is underway into who was behind a suspicious fire which destroyed an arts building at an Inverell high school on Wednesday.
The fire, which police have confirmed was deliberately lit, erupted just before 1.30pm at Inverell High School, causing a mass evacuation of the school.
More than 700 staff and students were rushed to an evacuation point at the school's basketball courts as Fire and Rescue NSW crews moved in, trying to contain the blaze which destroyed the industrial arts building.
Now the hunt is on for who is responsible.
"We believe the fire originated in a palm tree that was very close to the industrial arts building," Police Inspector Rowan O'Brien said.
"We believe it was deliberately lit."
Inverell Ambulance paramedics treated a handful of students for asthma-related symptoms as smoke billowed into the air, but no one else was injured, and all students were accounted for.
Preliminary estimates have put the damage bill at more than $200,000 with the area cordoned off yesterday afternoon for specialist forensic crews to examine.
"Half of the roof section has been destroyed and this has caused the ceiling and roof beams to collapse into the work area," Inspector O'Brien said.
"The school will be operating again, but that area will be closed."
The Department of Education has confirmed an alternative timetable will be in operation Thursday at the Brae Street school for staff and students.
"Emergency services were quickly on the scene following a triple-0 call. Their quick action is commended," a spokesperson said.
"Once the site is given the all-clear by police and NSW Fire and Rescue, the Department's Assets staff and contractors will assess the damage and plan for alternative accommodation and remedial work."
