Parents vent anger after flood closes £34m Inverness school
THERE was a furious reaction to the closure of Inverness’s troubled new flagship secondary school this week after the building was flooded when a sprinkler system was accidentally triggered and could not be shut off.
It emerged that it was contractors testing cookers as part of solving a long-standing gas supply problem that triggered the flood.
The school was closed on Thursday and Friday though is currently expected to reopen on Monday.
It is the latest mishap to befall the £34 million Inverness Royal Academy and has led to a call for a full safety survey to be carried out on the building as a matter of urgency.
A full investigation into the flood is already under way.
Staff frantically tried to alert pupils and parents yesterday morning as it became clear that the biggest school in the Highlands could not open, with water said to be two inches deep in parts.
The school was while safety checks on electrical equipment were carried out and the mop-up completed. The school’s kitchens were hit along with the library, but rare archive books about the academy were saved overnight by staff.
The sprinkler flood is the latest in a serious of mishaps and criticisms to hit the new 1050-pupil academy, leading to an angry reaction from parents and politicians.
Contractors were working on replacement cookers in the home economics classrooms which have not worked since the school opened a year ago.
Water quickly spread through classrooms, corridors and stores on the first floor before flowing through floors and ceilings into more rooms and stores below.
Inverness South councillor Ken Gowans said: "This is yet another issue with certain aspects of the build at this school, therefore I am calling for a full investigation into this latest incident and also a comprehensive quality and safety survey as a matter of urgency.
"There is growing lack of confidence in the build.
"This has been inconvenient for parents and, while this was unavoidable, it is nonetheless a significant issue for many.
"What should be a flagship school for the Highlands has turned into an embarrassment."
Fellow ward councillor Duncan Macpherson said: "This should be a cause of embarrassment to Morrison Construction and Hub North Scotland who are building the school. I understand two of the sprinkler heads broke and couldn’t be shut off. They couldn’t stop the water and that is a building quality matter."
A concerned parent, who works in the building trade, contacted the Courier to vent his anger.
He said: "I heard they were trying to sort the gas problem and were working on cookers when the sprinkler system was set off by mistake.
"I think the issues and problems they have with that new school are disgusting. If they were any of my guys they would be out the door. The water was pouring down into the technical department on the ground floor and was two inches deep."
Another parent said: "This coming after the continued fire alarms going off about once every week, the wrong gas installed in the science labs and home economics departments, problems with the pipework behind the walls of the school, leaks in the roof of the gym halls, unfinished paintwork, the list goes on.
"I find it shocking that a building can open to pupils and still have all these flaws."
A council spokeswoman said: "The water release occurred while contractors instructed by Hub North Scotland/Morrison Construction were undertaking testing of the new gas cookers. The council apologises for any inconvenience caused by this incident.
"Safety tests are being carried out on sprinklers, electrics/IT and alarms to ensure that all are working safely for the school reopening."
Head teacher Nigel Engstrand thanked school and council staff who came in overnight to help.
Morrison Construction and Hub North Scotland said they would not comment while investigations were ongoing.