A police investigation is underway after a fire broke out at a primary school in the early hours of today, Saturday.
Four fire engines were called to St Joseph’s RC Primary School on Whalley Road in Hurst Green shortly before 4am.
The fire involved one of the classrooms at the school, according to the fire service’s drone social media account on X.
A person in the area said someone had broken into the school in the early hours and set the classroom alight.
Lancashire Police and the fire service are investigating the incident.
As well as the fire service, there was one police car and a crime scene investigation team outside the school, which is on a narrow country lane close to the entrance to the village.
No injuries or arrests have been reported.
The person added that St Joseph’s Chapel next door, which is above where the fire was, was "miraculously unscathed".
Another resident said they had lived in the village for 30 years and has "never known anything like this".
And another person said the 9.30am mass at the chapel tomorrow, Sunday, will now take place at St Peter’s Church in Stonyhurst "due to this now being a crime scene".
A fire service spokesperson said: “Four fire engines from Hyndburn, Blackburn, Clitheroe, and Longridge fire stations attended a large fire at a commercial premises on Whalley Road in Hurst Green.
“Firefighters used four breathing apparatus, one hose reel, and one hose reel jet to extinguish the fire.”
A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: "We were called by the fire service to a report of a fire at a primary school on Whalley Road in Hurst Green, Clitheroe, at around 4.40am this morning (July 20).
"Officers, along with colleagues from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service attended, and the fire has since been extinguished. Thankfully there have been no injuries reported.
"A joint investigation between ourselves and the fire service is underway. You may see our local neighbourhood officers out and about in the area, as we carry out enquiries.
"If you have any concerns, or information, please don’t hesitate to approach them.
"We know that this may sound concerning to the local community. We want to reassure you that an investigation is underway, and to ask that you avoid any speculation as to what may have caused the fire.
"If you have any information that can assist our enquiries, please contact us on 101 quoting log 0268 of July 20."
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