School closed after being hit by lightning

9:15am Thursday 15th May 2008

Comments (4)   Have your say »

A SCHOOL is closed after it was struck by lightning this morning.

Marsh School, in Abbey Barn Road, High Wycombe, was hit at around 7.20am today.

No pupils were in the building but the caretaker was on site but he was unharmed.

Becky Morrisson, headteacher, said: "There is quite a lot of damage, some structural. We are going to get the surveyors in today.

"The caretaker was on site but he was fine. It was lucky that nobody else was on site.

"Staff were amazing. They have all got together to sort it out.

"I thought it best to close the school today for health and safety reasons."

Glyn Galbraith, chairman of the school's governors, said: "We are very fortunate that happned then and when just the caretaker was on site.

It could have been very different if the classroom would have been full of young kids. It would have been a whole different situation then.

"We are talking about damage to property and not injuries to staff and kids."

Watch manager Andy Ward, from High Wycombe Fire Station, said: "There is a steel frame construction to the building, it struck the building and found its way into the steel frame."

"There is external damage to the building and a bit of damage to the plaster inside. There was no fire."

The firefighters have now left the area.

The Marsh School is not the first to be hit in recent weeks.

Holmer Green Senior School, in Parish Piece, Holmer Green, was also struck by lightening on April 11, but fortunately it was during the school holidays.