TWO teenage youths have been charged with arson endangering lives following a major fire at Verulam School in St Albans. The Brampton Road School, which reopened this morning (Wednesday), was evacuated after the blaze started in a first-floor classroom at

TWO teenage youths have been charged with arson endangering lives following a major fire at Verulam School in St Albans.

The Brampton Road School, which reopened this morning (Wednesday), was evacuated after the blaze started in a first-floor classroom at about 11.30am yesterday before spreading along the roof and into neighbouring rooms.

Two youths were arrested at the scene and one has been charged with two counts of arson endangering lives in relation to yesterday's fire and a separate incident on Monday.

The other youth has been charged with the same offence relating to Monday's incident.

Several students at the school have contacted the Herts Advertiser claiming that they were only alerted to the blaze by the smoke or cries of fire from fellow pupils. One said that the first indication that something was wrong came when smoke seeped into the classroom. He told of an evacuation through a smoke-filled corridor.

Fire investigators are currently investigating the reports that the fire alarms failed to sound when the fire broke out.

But the firefighters praised the actions of staff and pupils in evacuating the school extremely quickly.