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Fire Destroys Muslim School in Great Britain
BRADFORD, Great Britain, Sept 4 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - A fire in which arson is suspected late Sunday night destroyed the building of a Muslim primary school in the racially sensitive city of Bradford in the United Kingdom.
The fire at Iqra primary school, predominantly Muslim, has renewed racial tension in the city just as it was recovering from the trauma of riots last July.
The Iqra primary school in Manningham, formerly known as Drummond school, was due to open Tuesday. More than 20 years ago the Drummond school was made notorious after its then head teacher, Ray Honeyford, was fired for airing allegedly racist comments.
Detective Inspector George Marshall of Bradford North CID 9criminal investigation division) said, "We are now treating the fire as malicious, after an examination of the scene by forensic scientists."
He added that a detailed examination of the scene has not revealed any evidence of an accidental cause, thereby leading investigators to believe that it was arson.
Hundreds of area residents watched, some in tears, as the school went up in flames. The fire, believed to have been started in the main hall, completely destroyed the building and caused extensive fire, smoke and water damage to surrounding classrooms.
The administration block, and library and information technology sections of the school were saved.
The city of Bradford Council's officers say that more investigations are required, and that at this point it is too early to determine the full extent of the damage.
At one point, more than 80 firefighters and 14 fire trucks were involved in battling the fire.
Shanaz Anwar-Bleem, head teacher at the school, said she would work quickly to ensure that students don't miss out on their education. In a letter to parents she said, "Our priority is to quickly re-establish the education provision for your children….We will keep you informed and thank you for your patience, support and understanding."
Iqra primary school had just opened last year following a switch to a two-tier system of education and currently has 120 students. It was set to expand further to include 540 students.
Bradford was the scene of intense rioting in July when Asians, mainly Pakistani and Bangladeshi youth, fought pitched battles with white supremacists and police. The riots were sparked after far right racist organizations, the National Front and the British National Party, tried to hold rallies in Asian areas of the city.
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