By Ingrid Hipkiss
3 News has obtained exclusive footage from inside Glendowie Primary School, showing the moment the flames took hold.
Police investigating the arson attack say they are following a number of leads while school administrators say they have been heartened by support from the community.
It started with a small glow but the CCTV footage shows how in just three minutes the fire grew into an inferno, eventually engulfing 10 classrooms.
Nine cameras monitor the school, and police are continuing to scour the hours of footage.
They are convinced the fire was deliberately lit and are following a number of leads.
The fire service has been called to 450 school arsons in the last five years - that is an average of 90 a year. Most of the culprits are under 17 years old and most say they are surprised by the devastation they cause
Principal Anne-Marie Biggs says she has been overwhelmed by community support.
Like a letter from six-year-old Lara whose classroom was destroyed.
“I can help if you want me to make the school better again,” she wrote.
Attached to the letter was three dollars of Lara's pocket money to help rebuild the school.
“Behind every difficulty, and there have been many, you have to look at the positives and to know most particularly that no child has been hurt,” says Ms Biggs.
Despite the devastation, school will go on. Temporary classrooms will be in place to house the schools 650 students for the start of term in just over three weeks.
“Teachers will rise to the challenge. We know they are suffering at the moment, everybody's in this state of shock, we're all devastated but…we'll be ready day one,” says Dawn Garbett of the Board of Trustees.
3 News