8am Update
BULLDOZERS were set to move in today to demolish a former special school damaged by fire.
Contractors had already been at the disused Turnshaws Special School, on Turnshaws Avenue, Kirkburton, to prepare for it to be knocked down next month.
But the work was brought forward after a huge fire swept through the building last night.
Investigations into the cause of the blaze were continuing this morning.
But crew manager Mark Hurd, from Huddersfield Fire Station, said early indications were that it had been started deliberately.
Mr Hurd was part of a crew that was called out at about 6pm.
They were among 50 firefighters from across the area who were quickly dispatched because of the size of the fire.
Mr Hurd said: "Looking at the building before it burnt down, there were lots of boarded up windows, some of which had been put through.
"There was still and electrical supply to the building, but no equipment inside, so it would seem unlikely it had started because of some sort of electrical fault."
Damping down at the school continued into the early hours.
No-one was hurt in the incident.
The school, which taught children with severe learning difficulties aged two to 19, was built in 1971.
It closed in July 2006 when the school merged with Highfields School, Edgerton, to form Castle Hill School, which was built between Newsome and Berry Brow.
A MASSIVE fire destroyed part of a village school last night.
Fifty firefighters battled the blaze at Turnshaws Special School in Kirkburton as thick smoke drifted over nearby homes.
They were called to the school just before 6pm yesterday after residents on Turnshaws Avenue reported seeing smoke.
Huddersfield divisional commander Keith Robinson was one of the first firefighters on the scene.
He said: “When I arrived I asked for six more appliances to come due to the severity of the fire.
“An area of around 40m by 60m was effected. We sent in firefighters with breathing apparatus who managed to get into the corridor and drive the fire back.
“They did a really good job because they managed to save one of the school buildings.”
Fifty firefighters from Huddersfield, Elland, Brighouse, Dewsbury, Holmfirth and Skelmanthorpe helped battle the blaze.
They worked into the small hours of this morning with five large jets.
Police and fire officers are investigating the cause of the blaze.
The school was due to be demolished on August 7.
Group manager Robinson said he was relieved no-one had been hurt.
Picture gallery on next page
He said: “We’re very happy there were no injuries. We don’t recommend that children play in these type of buildings as they are very, very dangerous when they are unoccupied.
“We don’t want any tragedies at the start of the school holidays.”
Group manager Robinson also denied reports from some residents that they had been told to stay inside because of fears about asbestos in the air.
He said: “We checked with the contractors, there is no asbestos at all in the building.”
Click the picture gallery below for amazing pictures of the blaze.
Delia Howarth spotted the fire from her home on Turnshaws Avenue.
The 63-year-old said: “I saw this black smoke and I thought that something must be happening at the special school.
“The back of my house faces the school and I could see the flames getting higher and higher.”
Mrs Howarth, who has lived on Turnshaws Avenue for 17 years, said firefighters told residents to stay indoors.
She said: “They were shouting that we had to go inside because there was asbestos. We all went inside and we only came back out when the smoke cleared a bit.”
Lawrence Robinson, of Turnshaw Road, also spotted the fire.
He said: “I saw the flames and I went through my garden into the school. I could see the flames coming out of the windows.
“I phoned the fire brigade but they said they were already on their way,” he added.
