Police have launched a probe after a fire at Perth Academy.
Staff and pupils were evacuated from the school on Wednesday afternoon.
The alarm was raised at 2.08pm.
Firefighters arrived to find a blaze inside a toilet block.
This was extinguished within 30 minutes.
Police believe the fire was started deliberately.
Firefighters and police at Perth Academy fire
Two fire appliances were on the scene, as well as four police vans.
“This suggests that it’s more than a false alarm,” a witness told The Courier.
“It happened just after 2pm – not long after people had come back from lunch.
“All the pupils are on the playing fields at the back of the school.
“Staff are at the front and rear entrance of the school.
“Construction workers at the school are also outside.
“People are wondering what has happened.”
Pupils return after school building ‘ventilated’
A Scottish Fire and Rescue spokesperson said at around 2.40pm: “We were called at 2.08pm to a small fire in the toilet block at the school.
“It’s now been extinguished.
“They’re just ventilating the building now.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We received a report of a fire at a premises on Murray Place, Perth, around 2.20pm on Wednesday, 4 December, 2024.
“There were no reports of any injuries.
“The fire is being treated as wilful and enquiries are ongoing.”
Council says no one was hurt
A Perth and Kinross Council statement said: “Fire crews were called to Perth Academy just after 2pm today following reports of a fire in a disused storage area during lunch break.
“The school was evacuated in line with procedures and all pupils and staff left the building safely.
“No one was hurt.
“The fire was extinguished and the building ventilated before everyone was allowed to go back inside.
“We thank Scottish Fire and Rescue for their swift response.”
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