Pupils and teachers at Sapphire Road Primary School in Bethelsdorp scattered for safety on Thursday afternoon after a fire broke out on the premises.
The fire, believed to have started in the boys’ bathrooms, spread quickly and gutted the entire ablution block.
A teacher, who did not want to be named, said the fire started at about 1pm.
She had sent one of her pupils to another teacher’s classroom when the boy came running back and exclaimed: “Teacher, the boys’ toilets are burning!”
She said teachers acted immediately to get all pupils to safety.
“Some of the older boys and the male teachers grabbed buckets of water and fire extinguishers to try to douse the flames.”
The fire was contained until the fire department arrived to extinguish the flames.
Principal Alicia Baatjes said she was grateful that nobody was injured.
“We are all very shocked but happy that everyone is OK. The boys’ bathroom is completely damaged.
“The school will be closed for pupils tomorrow as mopping up operations get under way,” she said.
The cause of the fire is still unknown.
HeraldLIVE