BY IAN CROUCH
Quick work by firefighters has prevented a potentially catastrophic fire at the Callaghan College Wallsend Campus overnight.
Firefighters from Wallsend, Cardiff and Lambton were called to the Macquarie Street school at about 8.15pm on Thursday to find thick smoke coming from the J Block - Construction and Cooking Classroom Facilities.
They gained entry to the building to find an electrical fire in the Metals and Engineering workshop in the southern end of J Block.
Due to access issues, crews had to drag 90 metres of hose around the the perimeter of the building and began fighting the fire from outside before gaining access through a wire mesh door to fully extinguish the flames.
Although the cause of the fire is yet to be determined, it's believed to have started in a wheelie bin containing numerous flammable and combustible items.
Crews remained on scene until about 10.00pm dousing hot spots and ventilating classrooms.
Firefighters have thanked nearby residents for reporting smoke in the area and say if unreported, the fire could have spread throughout the building where LPG, Argon, acetylene, propane and butane were stored, which would've resulted in a highly dangerous and volatile fire.
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| The scene at Callaghan College Wallsend Campus on Thursday night Picture: Wallsend Fire & Rescue |
