Brooklands Middle School evacuated due to blaze in nearby skip

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to the fire at the Leighton Buzzard middle school at 2.54pm this afternoon.

When firefighters from Leighton Buzzard Community Fire Station arrived six minutes later they found a fire alight in a buildings skip adjacent to the school.

Brooklands staff and students were evacuated while firefighters extinguished the blaze.

Eyewitness and local resident, Neil Cairns, said: “At about 2pm we saw lots of thick, black smoke pouring out of one of the classroom blocks of Brooklands Middle School, Leighton Buzzard. Then the fire alarms went off and lots of children were lead out into the field behind the school.

“Then the fire engine’s siren was heard and at about 2.15pm the smoke turned white. After that, we saw the children being led out of the grounds via Leedon Lower School the other side of the playing fields.”

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “There has been some heat damage to the exterior of the school. Two fire engines and the Aerial Platform from Luton are still on the scene.”