Home News Community WATCH: Old Portlaoise primary school set on fire

WATCH: Old Portlaoise primary school set on fire

Emergency services are at the scene of a fire at the old Portlaoise CBS/St Paul’s primary school on the Borris Road in Portlaoise after a fire was lit in the building this afternoon.

Two units of the Portlaoise Fire Brigade have put out the fire and have cordoned off the site while members of the Gardai are directing traffic.

There are no injuries and the fire has been put out – but Gardai are asking for anyone with information to contact them on 057 8674100. No arrests have been made.

The fire went off at about 2.30pm this afternoon with the fire services responding quickly to dampen down the flames.

The building has been vacant since the school closed last June when the students moved to the new Holy Family building on Aughnaharna.

The site of a lot of anti-social behaviour and calls have been made for it to be demolished instantly by the Department of Education.

A new building will be developed on that Borris Road site for the St Francis school which is currently on the Timahoe Road but no date has been confirmed for when that project will start.

Since becoming vacant last year, the school has been badly vandalised in the months since, with almost every window broken. This is at least the second fire to have been set in the building in the last couple of months.

 

SEE ALSO – Portlaoise footballers get the better of neighbours The Heath