Toddlers were swiftly evacuated to safety following a fire outbreak at a school in Wales during the summer break. The incident occurred at Awel Y Mor Primary School in Port Talbot, where children attending the Lots of Tots holiday club had to be moved out due to significant flames and thick smoke emerging from the school’s windows on a Wednesday morning.
Staff members from a Flying Start group, which was also present at the school but in a separate area, acted promptly to evacuate the children from the club. The group later expressed gratitude towards the staff for their composed and professional handling of the evacuation. Unfortunately, the fire forced the cancellation of the group’s activities for the remainder of the week.
Firefighters from various stations including Port Talbot, Neath Swansea Central, Morriston, and Swansea West Fire Stations collaborated to contain the blaze. They successfully managed the situation and left the site by approximately 12:45 pm, as reported by Wales Online.
According to a spokesperson from the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, the fire incident was responded to at 10:10 am on Wednesday, July 22. The crews deployed breathing apparatus sets, hose reel jets, a turntable ladder, and a water bowser to extinguish the fire within the sandwich panels of the school. The teams concluded their operations and departed the scene by 12:43 pm.
In response to the fire at the school building, the Lots of Tots group announced its closure for the rest of the week. Plans for assessing the damage and ensuring the safe return of children and staff to the unaffected playgroup are underway. The reopening date will be determined following a comprehensive evaluation of the situation.
The group reiterated its appreciation for the staff’s swift and professional actions during the evacuation, emphasizing the importance of ensuring everyone’s safety in such situations.
