Former students charged after fire

Two former Kristin School students has been charged after two classrooms were damaged by fire.

The students appeared in court this week on arson related charges after a fire on the last day of the recent school holidays.

The fire is believed to have started in two rubbish bins close to the year 5 classrooms on Sunday, October 11. At 4.15am four fire trucks and 16 firefighters arrived to battle the blaze which had been going for some time, Albany station officer Graham Haycock says.

He says the incident was another senseless fire.

The vandalism shocked Kristin School junior principal Judi Paape.

"When I saw it – it was soul destroying, when I thought about the loss of the children’s work," Ms Paape says.

Books from one classroom were saved but most of the work and stationery in the other room were destroyed.

Other pupils from the school helped those affected by offering supplies and the stationery shop stepped in.

The cost of setting up two new classrooms in time for the 2010 school year is covered by insurance.

- © Fairfax NZ News