UPDATE: Fire alert at Kingussie High School is put down to ‘freak accident’
Kingussie High School’s headteacher has said that it appears that fire alarms on the premises this morning were sounded due to a ‘freak accident’.
All staff and pupils were evacuated from the premises as a safety precaution after the warnings were sounded at around 11.25am.
It appears that a powder fire extinguisher went off accidentally and this was believed by staff to be smoke emitting from the boiler room.
999 was called and two fire appliances - one from the town and the other from Aviemore - attended at the scene.
No-one was injured.
The school - the largest in the strath - has now issued details of the incident in its latest weekly bulletin from the headteacher for parents.
Headteacher Ian Adamson explained that he called the fire brigade as it was thought there were signs of smoke coming from the boiler room.
He said: “Fire crews attended the school and on investigation it was identified that a powder fire extinguisher had gone off triggering the fire sensors.
“The fire extinguisher was in the locked basement of the school and the fire crew think it had gone off by itself.
“The fire service stayed on site to check the school to ensure that it was safe for pupils and staff to re-enter the building before giving the all clear.
“I want to reassure you that this looks like a freak accident involving a faulty fire extinguisher in the basement, and there was no malice or intent from anyone to set it off.”
A fire service spokeswoman said: “We responded to a false alarm at 11.25am today (Friday) on Ruthven Road, Kingussie.
“Two fire appliances were mobilised, and crews ensured the area was safe before leaving the scene.”
A Highland Council spokesperson said: “The fire service attended Kingussie High School and found that a dry powder fire extinguisher went faulty in the basement area and triggered the fire alarm.
“The fire alarm has been reset, and the fire service have now left the site content that there is no fire. The school will remain operational.”
