Paramedics have assessed about 30 Warrawong High School students for smoke inhalation after fire broke out a short distance from the school’s sports oval.
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The blaze consumed an area of scrub between the school’s western boundary and houses on Weringa and Anna avenues.
NSW Ambulance Illawarra district officer Inspector Terry Morrow said the smoke caused health problems for a number of students.
“The smoke was horrific at first because of the westerly winds,” he said.
“Some of the children … were asthmatics and distressed.”
Mr Morrow said about 30 children were triaged.
Not all were badly affected by the smoke; some have since gone home with their parents.
Police, firefighters and ambulance paramedics were called to the school about 11.10am.
The cause of the fire is being investigated.
It is believed the blaze broke out as the students were taking part in an athletics event on the oval.
