A FIRE that closed a Newport school is believed to have been caused by a fault in a staffroom dishwasher, South Wales Fire Service said yesterday.

Pupils at St Andrew’s Junior School, in Corporation Road, Lliswerry, will be allowed to return to lessons on Monday after the fire gutted its staffroom on Tuesday night.

Thirty-seven firefighters tackled the blaze. The building, which is more than 100 years old, did not suffer structural damage, but work to repair the electrical system and rectify the smoke damage is due to be begin before the weekend.

A statement from Newport Council said arrangements are being made to enable pupils to return to school after the weekend but they will not be allowed into the classrooms on the ground floor because of heat and smoke damage, which has damaged the entire floor.

Pupils will be accommodated on the first floor while the ground floor undergoes deepcleaning.

Health and safety measures will be in place to protect pupils, staff and visitors.

Councillor David Atwell, cabinet member for education and young people, paid tribute to staff at the school.

He said: “This is clearly an upsetting time for everyone at St Andrew’s but I would like to pay tribute to the head teacher, governors and council employees, who are doing everything they can to ensure the school can re-open.

“It was also extremely heartening to hear how parents have offered their help.

This is community spirit at its best and will help the school recover from this devastatingevent,” he added.

The cost of the fire is still being assessed