The "mayhem" caused by a fire at a former school has sparked hopes that the vacant site will be brought back to life.
Emergency services were called to Hethersett just before 7pm on Tuesday to reports of an outbuilding fire at the former Woodside Primary & Nursery School, in Firs Road.
"There was smoke everywhere," said Hayley Martin, who lives nearby.
"We were panicking because we had no idea what was happening.
"Then the fire engines started to arrive and we saw the building was totally ablaze.
Read more: Former school playing field could make way for new homes
"It was mayhem."
It is understood that an old classroom building caught fire and no one is believed to have been hurt during the incident.
Two Norfolk Fire Service crews from Hethersett and Earlham were needed to extinguish the fire.
Norfolk Constabulary confirmed on Wednesday that it is investigating the fire as arson.
"My son Gavin was one of the first people to see the fire," said June Osborne, whose home sits just yards away from the site.
"The flames were really high - almost climbing the trees - and there were plumes of smoke.
"If the fire service hadn't been so quick to react it would have spread very quickly.
"Just before the incident we thought we heard a group of youngsters in the site.
"There are always people in there.
"One of them shouted fire and then that's when it started."
The Woodside Primary & Nursery has been empty since it moved to a new building in Coachmakers Way in 2020.
Read more: Norfolk school building opened by Margaret Thatcher closes
Plans for Norfolk County Council to sell the 1.3-acre playing field to a developer were revealed last year - with proposals seeing affordable housing created for people with care and support needs.
Kathryn Cross, South Norfolk District councillor for Hethersett, said: "We never like to see buildings go to waste.
"I hope another use is found for it soon."
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