Hundreds of pupils were evacuated from a new £15million Highland primary school yesterday after a hot water pipe burst.
Pupils at Noss Primary School at Wick in Caithness were sent home at lunchtime after the incident caused “significant water damage” to the building.
And the facility remains closed today .
A north politician has called for a full investigation of the incident to ensure it cannot happen again.
The 14-classroom school, which opened last month after a series of delays, replaced two local schools – North primary, which had 161 pupils, and Hillhead primary, which had a school roll of 148.
It was originally due to open last summer, but completion was put back to December.
Storms in January of last year and strict health and safety regulations led to a further delay.
It was then supposed to open in March of this year, but pupils did not move in until April.
The project was delivered by Aberdeen-based partnership hub North Scotland on behalf of Highland Council, with construction work being carried out by Morrison Construction.
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross MSP Gail Ross is now calling for the council and the contractors to carry out a full investigation of the incident.
Ms Ross said “I was shocked to learn of the incident, which luckily for everyone happened when the children were not in the classroom.
“This must be fully investigated by both the Highland Council and the construction company Morrison Construction.
“It is extremely concerning that this could happen anywhere, but it is particularly worrying that this happened in a school.”
Highland Council said the closure was due to “a significant failure of a hot water connection to the heating system located in the ceiling of the east wing resulting in significant water damage, and no heating”.
And the council’s director of care and learning Bill Alexander said: “Naturally everyone is very disappointed, as things had been running particularly well at the new school.”
A spokesman for hub North Scotland confirmed that “isolated flooding” occurred yesterday as a result of a burst pipe.
He said: “Work is already underway to resolve the issue.”
A fire service spokeswoman said they received a call for assistance just after 12.50pm and two appliances from Wick attended.
She said: “The crews assisted in the clear up of an area that was flooded.”
