A scorched doll's house stands among the gutted remains of a classroom at Broad Chalke Primary School after Tuesday's fire. 3/2/5NEARLY 150 children were evacuated after an explosion and fire ripped through a classroom at Broad Chalke, Primary School just before lunchtime on Tuesday.

Fortunately, the classroom was empty, as a class of 15 or so had just left the room for their 11am break in the playground.

Teachers spoke of hearing a loud bang and of the loss of power supply to the whole school.

Then, as the fire alarms sounded, black smoke was seen pouring from the classroom, which lies at the centre of the main school.

Within seconds, the classroom was ablaze and flames began licking towards the roof and windows.

The school's fire drill was put into operation and teachers and support staff ushered the youngsters from the playground to the parish church opposite the school.

To help the 143 pupils over the shock, everyone started singing hymns and songs as firefighters from Salisbury, Tisbury and across the border from Dorset arrived.

As they tackled the blaze, the children were moved to Broad Chalke sports centre and arrangements were made for their parents to collect them.

Teacher Joy Cunningham said: "We were having coffee in one of the classrooms when we heard a loud noise. We then saw the smoke and we started the evacuation.

"It went fantastically well and we moved the children into the church and got everyone singing.

"Some of the children were upset, particularly when an ambulance arrived, but most of them were all right."

Senior teacher Neil Mawdsley said it was lucky the classroom was empty, although other classrooms close by were in use.

"It was a large bang and the power went off," he said. "As the alarms sounded, I saw masses of black smoke billowing out and realised it was serious."

Mr Mawdsley and Ms Cunningham both praised villagers, who rallied round as news of the fire spread. People turned up to offer help and care for the children until parents arrived. "Everyone was wonderful," said Mr Mawdsley.

Station Officer Pete Newman, of Wiltshire fire brigade, said it was a serious fire, affecting the middle classroom in the building. Other classrooms were badly affected by smoke.

"It was a high-level fire when we arrived and we used eight sets of breathing apparatus and three hose reels to put it out," said SO Newman. We had five fire appliances at the scene. We used mechanical ventilation but the classroom is badly damaged. It took us an hour to get the fire under control and extinguished."

SO Newman said an initial investigation indicated the fire had started in an electrical box in the classroom, but this was being investigated fully by fire officers.

He praised the school's evacuation procedures, which, he said, had worked well.

"When we arrived, everyone was out of the buildings and everyone had been accounted for," he said. "They did very well."

The school comprises a main large Victorian building and several portable classrooms around the playground.

The fire was confined to the main building and started in one classroom at the centre of the building. This room was left seriously damaged and the fire spread through to the roof void and affected surrounding classrooms.

Although it was too early say for certain as the Journal went to press, teachers said it was likely that the school would remain closed until the end of half-term, the week after next.