Firefighters have been called to a vehicle fire in the car park of a primary school in Ryde this morning (Friday). A single appliance from Ryde was called to the scene at Haylands Primary School on Bettesworth Road at around 08:25 – just as hundreds of children were being dropped off for the day. Island Echo understands that a black BMW 1-series, parked at the bottom of the school car park, has caught fire, causing what has been described by Island Echo readers as ‘chaos’ in the local area at school drop-off time. Firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus are extinguishing the blaze with a single hose reel jet, extracting water from a nearby hydrant. UPDATE @ 09:05 – Parents have described a loud ‘bang’ as the hatchback – belonging to a teacher – burst into flames. Island Echo is told that the vehicle was leaking fuel prior to pulling into the school car park. Fuel can now be seen across the carriageway on Bettesworth Road, posing a risk for motorists. Children have been sent home whilst the incident is dealt with. It is hoped that they can return a little later on in the day. 
UPDATE @ 10:17 – Parents are being advised that children are now able to return to school. However, if parents choose not to, the absence will be authorised.
UPDATED: FIREFIGHTERS TACKLE VEHICLE BLAZE AT SCHOOL IN RYDE
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I was there and I saw it happen
I saw it burn it stank
And? So what.
any excuse to send kids home –
they could have simply ensured kids were in the building, away from windows until the fire was out and then carried on with lessons – no need for all teachers to get a freebie day off
The children weren’t able to safely get you the school as would have had to walk through the smoke plumes to get there. So sensibly they stopped the children well away from the fire and sent them home until it was safe to get you the school..
Read the story, they haven’t got a day off
Yet another ice car catching fire !!!!
With gets a lot on the island every year, should be band from the car ferries, very dangerous. Look what happened at that carpark in the airport, diesel land over causing 100’s of millions of damage.
What on earth are you talking about?
It’s an ironic comment on the cobblers constantly spouted by certain people about electric cars catching fire.
The fact is they are around 20 times less likely to catch fire than ICE cars.
That’s only because they are less in numbers and age,fact is 98% of all car fires are caused by electrical faults and in an EV vehicle the damage is around 100% terminal and costs tens if thousands, whereas is petrol/ diesel often repairable dependant on age and costs a lot less. When EVs are 3/5/10yrs old we will see difference.
Fred are you one of the few mugs that have gone and bought a glorified milk float? If that was an electric car on fire in that airport it would probably still be burning, just take a look at the plummeting global sales of silly electric cars, that tells you everything you need to no about them. They are a fad and dinosaur juice will be here for a long long time to come
Perished fual pipe? Lack of regular maintenance or service?…
A case of poor spelling and grammar maybe?
Fuel pipes are not maintained or serviced,not sure you understand what Mechanics do , only sorted when fail and that can happen with faults or age not neglect.
Fuel doesn’t just self combust, so something caused the fuel leaking to ignite, and even really hot exhausts just evaporate fuel and would very rarely cause it to actually ignite.
Need further investigation.
Do you suspect foulplay? ;~(
Bit odd that the car was fine throughout the commute, then the fire started after it was nicely parked up, driver safely out
Better get Scooby Doo over to solve this mystery.
Fuel + spark
Spark from alternator, starter, solenoid, relays, ignition, etc.
Pretty sure the police are better qualified to make that decision than a well known IE Karen, anyway.
Not correct as – ” Island Echo is told that the vehicle was leaking fuel prior to pulling into the school car park. Fuel can now be seen across the carriageway on Bettesworth Road. ” Suggesting it may of been diesel (petrol evaporates quickly) therefore it would not Ignite from a spark,you can’t even get it to light throwing a lit match . Possibly fire had already started in electrical and fuel seen on road could of been oil as roads wet , wouldn’t take much to look alot. But we don’t know!. Sorry for member of staff loosing their car.