The Gauteng education department is investigating the circumstances surrounding a fire which broke out at Flavius Mareka High School in Atteridgeville on Wednesday.

The school caught fire on Wednesday afternoon after pupils were allegedly smoking while playing with hand sanitisers in a passageway between classrooms used to store old tables.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona confirmed the incident and said an investigation had been launched.

“The fire department attended to the scene and managed to extinguish the fire. Only three classes were damaged. An investigation to determine circumstances surrounding this incident has been launched. The cost estimation for the damage will be determined in due course,” said Mabona.

A teacher, who did not want to be named, said that a group of boys were “playing with sanitiser”.

“They placed it where we stored old tables. It's like they were smoking. Now we don’t have the full details, but it was learners. Everyone is safe,” the teacher said.

A matriculant said pupils were shocked when they saw smoke coming into their class through the window.

“We had just came back from our lunch break and we were sitting inside class waiting for a teacher to come in. The next thing we just saw smoke coming in through the window and we thought that maybe they were burning paper.

“When we got out we saw a huge fire and teachers were running around. Learners removed their shirts and fetched water buckets to try to help to extinguish the fire. It was a mess,” she said.

The pupil said there were no injuries, but two teachers collapsed during the incident.

“We left while the classes were still burning. Those classes are for us matric learners. I was scared for my life and I didn’t have a phone to call my parents. I don’t know if tomorrow we will be able to attend,” she said.

Mabona said all affected classrooms will be cordoned off and the school will continue with teaching as normal.

TimesLIVE