Scottish high school evacuated after solar panel catches fire and causes huge blaze

A Scottish high school has been evacuated after a solar panel on the roof caught fire, with clouds of black smoke seen billowing into the sky.

Firefighters are currently on the scene at Hawick High School, in the Scottish Borders, with the call coming in just before 3pm on Friday, June 10.

The Record report that the Scottish Fire and Rescue service mobilised two appliances and crews still remain at the scene tackling the fire.

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It is also understood to have occurred due to a solar panel, on the buildings roof, catching fire, which soon turned into a huge blaze with smoke seen miles in the distance.

Police Scotland confirmed that the building has been evacuated and that the incident is not currently being treated as suspicious.

There are no reports of any casualties.

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A spokesperson said “We were alerted at 2.47pm on Friday June 10 to reports of a fire which had taken hold at Hawick High School on the town’s Buccleuch Road.

“Operations control mobilised two appliances and firefighters are presently working to contain and extinguish the fire. There are no casualties.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers were called to reports of a fire at a premises on Buccleuch Road, Hawick at around 3.05pm on Friday, June 10, 2022.

“A solar panel caught fire and it was quickly extinguished.

“The building was evacuated and it is not being treated as suspicious.”