Revealed: Dorset and Wiltshire firefighters called to over 60 school blazes
The number of incidents they've attended in the last five years has been made public
Figures from insurers Zurich Municipal show there were 66 fires in schools in Dorset and Wiltshire that our fire brigade (DWFRS) were called out to over the last five years.
Of those, two resulted in significant damage, and 16 were logged as having been started deliberately.
But just three of the schools DWFRS were called to had sprinklers installed.
It's the law to have those within new and refurbished schools in Scotland and Wales, but not in England.
Zurich Municipal is now campaigning to change the law in England to avoid devastating financial and educational consequences, launching a petition urging MPs to review the law.
Tilden Watson is their head of education, and says fires in schools can be devastating:
"You lose a community asset, the loss of teaching, the disruption, the stress, the environmental impact, all of which can be prevented by sprinklers.
"Some of the large fires can cost you anything from £3 million to over £20 million - that's the risk you're taking here. But this goes beyond money, how can you put a price on the education of kids when it is disrupted?"
Group Manager Tim Gray, from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service's Protection department, said:
"We recognise the importance of sprinkler protection in schools and actively campaign for their inclusion in all school buildings. As the recent Zurich Insurance report shows, in the last five years we have attended 66 fires in schools where only three were fitted with sprinkler protection.
"The effect of a fire on the school, its students and staff and the wider community cannot be underestimated.
"Rebuilding costs, disruption and loss of crucial course work all add to the significant impact that fire damage can cause. We strongly support the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) call for amendment of BB100 (Design for Fire safety in Schools) to require sprinkler protection in new and refurbished schools."