Students on an overnight excursion at the Discovery Science and Technology Centre have been evacuated after a fire broke out at the popular education site.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Twenty-six students from Bacchus Marsh school Pentland Primary were rushed to safety at 6.45pm on Thursday when an industrial blower, part of a scientific display at the centre, overheated.
The school group intended to sleepover at Discovery until the blaze began.
Three Bendigo fire trucks and another from Golden Square attended the scene, finding all students safely outside the building and a teacher having brought the blaze under control with a dry powder fire extinguisher.
Students and teachers were found alternative accommodation in Ascot for the rest of Thursday night.
A CFA spokesman praised the response of his members, Discovery and the school’s staff.
"It shows the smoke alarms work, the fire system works, the evacuation system works," a Bendigo CFA spokesman said.
"The teachers did a fantastic job."
Discovery Centre general manager Jonathan Ridnell said the venue would reopen at 9.30am Friday after some minor cleaning up was complete.
Mark Kearney
Journalist. Traveller. Pop culture connoisseur. Mark is passionate about education, the arts and social justice, especially stories affecting the LGBTI community.
Journalist. Traveller. Pop culture connoisseur. Mark is passionate about education, the arts and social justice, especially stories affecting the LGBTI community.
