Alarm goes off at school at around midnight

LATEST: A Taranaki school's security alarm was set off in New Plymouth early this morning just after midnight a New Plymouth resident told infonews.co.nz

The alarm went of at New Plymouth's Devon Intermediate just after midnight.

One resident told infonews the alarm was very loud and annoying.

The alarm going off follows a blaze at the school which destoryed part of the schools library and student reception area.

Students and staff from Taranaki's Devon Intermediate school 'rushed' from their classrooms when a fire broke out on the 12th of February right into the middle of an armed police call out.

Police were responding to reports of a gunman wandering the streets near New Plymouth's Devon Intermediate at the time, all students were reported safe and the gunman was caught.

"There was holes left in the building from the fire so I am guessing it was just a cat or something stupid"  another New Plymouth resident nearby to the school told infonews.co.nz

The alarm was turned off shortly after 12.15am

Infonews will update this story if we find out why the alarm was set off.