Fire at former playschool
Published: 10:24, 08 July 2009
Updated: 10:24, 08 July 2009
Arsonists are thought to have set light to a building which used to house a play school on the Isle of Grain.
Firefighters from Grain, Cliffe and Strood along with a height vehicle from Medway, were called out the building in Pintail Close, at about 8.45pm on Tuesday, July 7.
The crews spent around two and a half hours putting out the blaze.
The building was used by a play school for more than 20 years but was closed in 2008 when the Sure Start programme went to the village.
The parish council decided to shut up the building until another use could be found for it.
Over the past few months the building had been broken into and it is believed youths from the area knocked a hole in the wall and were getting in, despite it being boarded up several times.
A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: “The building was well alight when we arrived and the fire was well set.
"The building sort of has two layers and the fire had got in between the layers so was quite difficult to get to.
"The fire was also in the roof area, we managed to save the building structure, but there is a lot if fire and smoke damage to it.
"We suspect the fire was started deliberately."
Veronica Cordier, who lives in the village, added: “Having viewed the scene this morning I would say it was a hell of a fire.
"Having been a member of the playschool staff that operated from there I was in tears.
“Now the building has been left for the parish council and the police to inspect and will probably end up being demolished without a decision on its future having been made.”
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Sarah Clarke