Elite school shut down in student bomb threat

Scotch College was evacuated after a year 8 student made a bomb using instructions from the internet and brought it to school.

The bomb squad was called to Scotch College after a year 8 boy brought a homemade explosive to school. Picture: Tony Gough

A year 8 Scotch College student brought a homemade bomb to campus on Monday, sparking a major security alert and evacuation.

The student is believed to have constructed his own pipe bomb by following instructions on the internet and brought it to school.

The bomb squad was called to the school and there was an evacuation of the Hawthorn campus.

All school events were cancelled, including a public speaking competition.

Students were not allowed to take their bags home from the quadrangle.

All school events were cancelled as the bomb squad attended the campus. Picture: Tony Gough

At the time it wasn’t clear if the bomb scare was fake or real, but by Tuesday word had leaked that a student had brought a pipe bomb on to campus to show his friends.

A parent said the school had not sent out anything official on the incident.

“We heard there was a huge burn mark on the oval the next day but it was a grazing of a patch of grass in the quadrangle,” the parent said.

A staff source said the pipe bombs had been “blown up by the bomb squad in a hole dug in the lawn of the quad”.

It comes as Camberwell High had a security threat involving a year 7 student in early October.

The student made threats on social media, prompting the involvement of police. Although it was discovered the threat was unfounded, other students were told about it by teachers the next day.

A spokesman for Victoria Police confirmed officers from the specialised bomb squad were called to Scotch College about 1.30pm on Monday following reports of a suspicious item on campus.

“There were no injuries, and the immediate area was evacuated as a precaution,”

“The item is being examined and the area was deemed safe.”

A spokesman for the school said it was offering support to students after the pupil brought the device to school.

“The safety and wellbeing of our school community is always our first priority,” he said.

“Students were briefed and reminded of the support available should they have any

concerns.”

The spokesman said authorities declared the school grounds as safe on Monday evening, but would not comment further because police were investigating the incident.