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A £10.7million specialist school has been left severely damaged after a huge blaze tore through the building for hours on Sunday afternoon.
Around 15 fire engines and specialist appliances rushed to The Promise School in Okehampton, Devon, after emergency services were alerted to the inferno at about 3.30pm.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue said it received multiple reports of 'flames' and 'thick black smoke' rising from the site as the fire took hold.
By 5.45pm crews were still at the scene, with the service confirming the blaze was creating a 'significant smoke plume' visible across the area. The building has been described as severely damaged.
Police warned residents living nearby to keep their windows and doors shut as a precaution, while motorists were urged to steer clear.
Devon and Cornwall Police asked anyone in the Stockley Hamlet area to close up their homes and avoid travelling into the area if possible.
Local resident Glennon Walters said his three-year-old son first spotted the smoke from their home.
He said: 'It was dark smoke, so that normally means something industrial. So we knew it was up in the industrial estate just from the smoke, but we didn't realise it was the new school until we took the pictures.'
Around 15 fire engines and specialist appliances rushed to The Promise School in Okehampton, Devon
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue said it received multiple reports of 'flames' and 'thick black smoke' rising from the site as the fire took hold
By 5:45pm crews were still at the scene, with the service confirming the blaze was creating a 'significant smoke plume' visible across the area
Despite the scale of the inferno, no injuries have been reported.
Sgt Tom Ottley said there was 'significant damage to the entire school'.
'[It is] quite a significant-sized blaze, fire have it under control, we don't believe there's any further risk to property or any casualties at the moment, so it's just about trying to control the damage and assess the damage thereafter,' he added.
Officers are now liaising with the school, and parents are expected to be contacted overnight with details of plans for the coming days.
Sgt Ottley also urged anyone who works in the area to check for updates on Monday before travelling, as crews continue damping down the scene.
The Promise School, which only opened in 2022, is a specialist academy for pupils with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
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