Boy, 16, is charged with arson after blaze at prestigious Catholic school

 

Friday, December 29, 2023 – A 16-year-old boy has been charged with arson over a blaze in the atrium of a prestigious London Catholic school.

The teenager was arrested following a fire at the prestigious 160-year-old school in west London.

Firefighters were called to the blaze at the London Oratory School, which admits boys aged seven to 18 and girls aged 16 to 18, on Seagrave Road in Fulham at 10am on Wednesday.

He will appear in custody at Highbury Youth Court later on Friday.

Ten fire engines and more than 70 firefighters rushed to the scene on Wednesday, along with Ambulance and Police services, before the boy was arrested at 11.15am.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is said to be a ‘pupil’ at the school, which caters for 1,400 students.

The fire was brought under control and no injuries have been reported, but part of an atrium in the four-storey building was damaged by fire, the London Fire Brigade said.

The London Ambulance Service, which also attended the scene, urged residents to close their windows.

Posting on X, the ambulance service said: ‘We have an incident response officer and hazardous area response team on standby at the fire in Fulham.

‘Please avoid the area if possible and close your windows if you live nearby.’

A nearby shopping centre and some residential addresses were evacuated as a precaution, police said.

The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.