A WORKMAN was taken to hospital with burns and pupils needed first aid after a school roof caught fire.

The man was working on an extension to St Wulstan’s RC Primary School, in Great Harwood, when he accid-entally set fire to some materials in the roof.

Emergency services were called to the school at ar-ound 1pm on Tuesday, and paramedics treated sev-eral people, including child- ren, at the scene.

The man was taken to hospital, suffering from superficial burns to his face.

Firefighters used a triple extension ladder, a therm-al imaging camera, and a ventilation unit to tackle the blaze, which caused fire damage to the roof ext- ension, and smoke damage to part of the school.

Vincent Murray, head-teacher at the Rushton Street school, said: “On Tuesday lunchtime, while working on an extension to the school, a workman acc-identally set fire to some materials on the roof.

“All but ten of the school’s 175 pupils were outside when the fire started.

“The other pupils, who were working with a teach-er on various activities in the school, were checked over by paramedics and given a clean bill of health.

“Unfortunately, I under-stand that the workman suffered superficial burns.

“By mid-afternoon, off-icers from the fire and rescue service had cleared the school of fumes, so pupils were able to return to class.

“I would like to pay trib-ute to the emergency ser-vices for dealing with the incident so quickly and professionally, and to teach- ers and pupils who evac-uated the school and rem-ained calm.”

A North West Ambul-ance Service spokesw-oman said several people were treated at the scene, and one man was taken to hospital.

The school was open as usual yesterday.