THE clean-up of smoke and soot from classrooms close to where fire destroyed Albury High School’s administration office has begun.
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Students are expected to return to those rooms in as little as two weeks.
The administration office will need to be re-built.
Engineers and insurance workers were on site yesterday to inspect the fire damage that occurred after a blaze broke out on Wednesday soon after 1am.
An electrical fault is believed to have caused the fire that started in a small room containing computer servers and destroyed the school’s administration office on the ground floor.
Electricians and cleaners were also on site yesterday as the “massive process” of cleaning began.
“We have specialist cleaners appointed to clean the classrooms,” Albury High principal Darryl Ward said.
“It’s a massive process that involves cleaning from the ceiling to the floor and making sure all the electrical work is tested.
“We hope students can return to these classrooms within two or three weeks.”
Mr Ward confirmed the administration office would be a big job.
“We need to clean up the site first and then we will look at having plans drawn,” he said.
The fire destroyed office equipment, the computer servers and administrative paperwork.
Student and school records were not affected — they are kept in an archive room in another part of the school.
Administration staff are being temporarily housed in the languages room.
Mr Ward, who has been the principal for three years, said he had been overwhelmed by the support and generosity of the community and other schools.
“We have been receiving flowers, cakes and many kind words,” he said.
The Department of Education is in charge of the clean-up process.
