Too early to make a call on school buildings: Berejiklian

It was too early to assess whether classroom rammed by a car was too weak to withstand the impact.

A mother comforts her child after the schoolyard tragedy. Picture: AAP

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says it is too early to assess whether the classroom building rammed by a car that led to the deaths of two children and serious injuries for a third was too weak to withstand the impact.

Ms Berejiklian said she would also await a full investigation before making any decision on reviewing the safety of classroom structures across the state, and their proximity to potential hazards from outside school grounds.

The NSW Education Department was also assessing the potential risk from asbestos-containing materials in the building, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Ms Berejiklian called it a “tragic day” for the families concerned, and all people in NSW, that the lives of children had been lost and others injured in the incident at Banksia Road Public School.

“Our hearts go out to the families, our hearts go out to the teachers, and first responders, and our thoughts and prayers for all the victims tonight,” she said.

“Words cannot express how deeply all of us feel.”

The Premier said her job yesterday, in paying a visit to the school in the company of NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes, was to speak personally to the teachers and express support for the school.

Mr Stokes described the incident as a “terrible tragedy” and said he grieved with the families who had “lost their precious little boys”.

Mr Stokes praised teachers who gave first aid, and police and paramedics who arrived at the scene to provide emergency services.

Asked if she had concerns about the state of the building structure and its ability to withstand the impact of a car entering school grounds at speed, Ms Berejiklian said her priority was to offer unconditional support to the school community.

She said many people were still coming to terms with what had happened, and she understood a full police investigation had already started. “We should let the experts do their job. Today is really about providing that support to the school community,” she said.

Ms Berejiklian said the timing of any reopening of the school would be a matter for authorities and “how the school feels”. “To be dealt with a tragedy of such huge proportions, there is no rule book, you need to do what’s best to support the children.”