Dubai: Students were evacuated from the Dubai British School after an anonymous caller said there was a bomb in the school’s premises at around noon on Thursday.
After visiting the school and investigating the matter, Dubai Police said the phone threat was a hoax.
“Dubai Police received a report about a security threat to a school in Dubai, which turned out to be a false alarm. Relevant security teams were sent to investigate and ensure everyone’s safety. Dubai Police and the entities concerned take such reports seriously,” Dubai Media Office said in a tweet.
After receiving the phone call, Clive Pierrepont, Director of Communication at Taaleem schools said students were immediately evacuated.
“The health and safety of our students is paramount and we would like to thank all of our parents for their support throughout this evacuation. Any feedback to the school on today’s alert and evacuation procedures would be most welcome,” he said.
Pierrepont did not specify the nature of the threat, however students and parents outside the school told Gulf News the anonymous caller claimed that there was a bomb in the school.
Gulf News visited the school at around 1.30pm and found that most of the students had already been sent home. The police were also present at the school’s headquarters in the Springs. “We are not allowed inside the school. The school received a bomb threat at around 12pm and we have all been evacuated,” said one student.
Working closely
Another student said she was shocked when she found about the threat. “You don’t expect something like this to happen in Dubai. I am glad everyone is safe,” she said.
Amal Belhasa, Chief of Compliance and Resolution Commission at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority said: “We are aware that a private school in Dubai evacuated its premises [yesterday]morning. The evacuation was successful with the safety of students and staff given paramount importance. The school is working closely with relevant authorities to follow-up on the matter.”
