Police suspect arson in a midnight blaze at the Harrington Sound Primary School which resulted in a quarter-of-a-million dollars worth of damage.

A spokesman for the Bermuda Fire Service yesterday told The Royal Gazette five emergency vehicles, 16 personnel, and two senior officer's cars responded to the crisis shortly before midnight on Friday.

Police reports stated officers first on the scene saw the building facing the southern side of the school ablaze.

The fire apparently began in a second floor classroom of the school's centre block, but quickly spread to a ground floor classroom and the roof.

Firefighters battled the flames for more than an hour before eventually extinguishing the fire shortly after 1 a.m.

But the flames caused extensive damage to the second floor while heat and smoke caused more damage throughout the rest of the building.

The intense heat left a huge, gaping hole in the middle of the building and large holes in the ceilings and floors.

School teachers, Police and fire officials, and Education Minister Jennifer Smith, Assistant Cabinet Secretary Robert Horton and Senate Leader Milton Scott toured the charred remains of the school on Saturday.

Early damage estimates ranged from $250,000 to $300,000.

No other buildings were affected in the fire and no injuries were reported.

Yesterday Police sealed off the building with crime scene tape and stationed uniformed officers outside.

And in the school's lower parking lot on Harrington Sound Road -- which was also closed to the public -- one of the new National Disaster Response vans was stationed as a Police command vehicle for investigating officers.

Police have also not ruled out arson in another weekend fire at the Grant's Boutique on Washington Lane, Pembroke.

In that blaze, flames and smoke caused some $75,000 worth of damage to the building and contents.

A spokesman said one vehicle and five personnel responded to a call from a resident close to the store shortly before 6 a.m. yesterday.

No surrounding buildings were affected and the investigation is continuing.

See story and pictures on Page 2 Burned out: Harrington Sound School's bell sits atop a burned out desk following a suspected arson fire shortly before midnight on Friday.

EDUCATION ED