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Another fire at former St John Fisher Catholic School in Ordnance Street, Chatham, deemed suspicious

21:22, 18 August 2024

updated: 14:24, 19 August 2024

Arsonists are believed to be behind yet another fire at a derelict school, which has gone up in flames four times in less than a year.

Firefighters were called to the former St John Fisher Catholic School building in Ordnance Street, Chatham, just after 12.30pm today (Sunday).

The former St John Fisher school in Chatham has fallen victim to arsonists again
The former St John Fisher school in Chatham has fallen victim to arsonists again

Five fire engines and a height vehicle attended and crews used hose reel jets to douse the flames.

A spokesperson said: “There were no reported injuries and the cause is not yet known but is being treated as suspicious.”

It comes just days after another fire took hold at the site.

Crews were called to battle the blaze at the former campus on Friday afternoon, when thick black smoke could be seen billowing into the sky.

A fire at the former St John Fisher school in Ordnance Street, Chatham earlier this week
A fire at the former St John Fisher school in Ordnance Street, Chatham earlier this week

It took firefighters more than an hour and a half to fight the flames.

There were no injuries and the cause remains unknown.

Back in June, another fire at the former campus was deemed deliberate.

And last October, about 40 firefighters tackled a large blaze at the building, where flames could be seen spreading to at least two floors.

The former secondary school, which served pupils for almost 60 years, is set to be demolished under plans put forward earlier this year for more than 100 new homes on the site.

The school went on the market last year after pupils relocated to a brand new £40million single campus in City Way, Rochester in February 2022.

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