Police appeal for information about 'brazen' fire at heritage school
Police are appealing to three young women seen in the vicinity of a fire that officers believe was deliberately lit at a heritage school building in Parramatta, just metres away from the state's police headquarters.
Believed to be aged between 17 and 20, the trio were captured on CCTV about 2am on May 19, less than three hours before flames engulfed the old Parramatta Public School at 4.45am.
"At this stage, we believe they have got vital information about who actually started the fire. That's why we are appealing for the girls to come forward," commander of the arson unit, Detective Superintendent Linda Howlett, said.
She said investigators believed up to four older males were also in the vicinity of the Macquarie Street school in the early hours of May 19.
Investigators believe the two groups may have met earlier in the evening.
The heritage building, which was built in 1923, was retired this year to make room for the state's first high-rise high school and multi-storey primary school, a development that may be delayed as a result of the fire.
About 300 people had to be evacuated from a nearby apartment building because of the fire, although no one was injured.
About 75 firefighters and 19 trucks were deployed to fight the flames, and firefighters were still trying to put out the fire more than six hours later.
Estimates suggest the blaze caused in excess of $10 million damage to the heritage building, which developers were intending to incorporate into the new development.
"We do not believe that will be the case any more," Superintendent Howlett said, adding that the alleged arson attack was quite brazen, considering its proximity to NSW Police headquarters.
"There was actually asbestos in the building, which could cause significant issues to members of the public, flying debris; that's why we want to apprehend these offenders as quickly as we possibly can before they do something stupid again."
Arson unit investigators established Strike Force Zingara to investigate the blaze and urge anyone with information to contact police.
The public school site was due to be developed into a multi-storey tower for 1000 students by next year, as part of a $225 million project to redevelop and expand Arthur Phillip High School.
A spokesman for the NSW Department of Education said after the fire that it would be examining how the fire would impact the redevelopment.
"We will do as much as we can to preserve the heritage aspects of the building, which are a really important part of the redevelopment."