Fire damages middle school building, cause could be arson
By SHANNON CRABTREE newsdesk@leader-news.com

MUST BE CONNECTED: Smoke alarms can save lives in the event of a fire, but only if the battery is in good working order and connected. Never "borrow" a batter from a smoke detector and test regularly to make sure the alarm works. A smoke dectector doesn't sleep, it guards throughout the night.

An possibly deliberate fire at the El Campo Middle School Thursday night caused an estimated $150,000 damage - one week before firefighting volunteers plan to visit area schools in observance of National Fire Prevention Week.

El Campo police are looking for clues on the cause of the fire which appears to have started in a trash can inside the school's Ag Science building.

With the possibility of it being an arson fire, the Texas State Fire Marshal's office has been asked to participate in the investigation.

"The (Ag Science) building is taped off and we're waiting for the state fire inspector to come look at it," El Campo Middle School Principal Rodney Montello said Friday.

In the interim, the 60 to 70 students who normally use the classroom over the course of the day are having classes elsewhere.

"We're taking the kids and rotating them, holding classes in empty classrooms (during a teacher's off period)," Montello said.

Classes will also be limited to textbook lessons for now.

Full damage estimates can't be made until the fire inspection is complete, he added.

"The El Campo Volunteer Fire Department did a fabulous job," Montello said.

The 32 responding men from the department had the fire doused in less than a half hour.

Students had been using stain during class time Thursday, according to the police investigation, and had thrown chemically soaked gloves and sponges into a plastic trash can. As classes ended for the day, the building was locked around 2:30 p.m. but smoke was spotted rolling from the building about 11:30 p.m.

The fire damaged the southwest portion of the ag building and destroyed a small green house.

"There was no forced entry," Montello said. "We could speculate and speculate, but until the state inspector comes in we'll (wait) and we see what they have to say."

The blaze is possibly the second arson fire on the campus this year. On Sept. 6, a 13-yearold El Campo boy was arrested on the campus and charged with arson and possession of marijuana, after allegedly starting a fire in the bathroom.

Montello said the cases are not connected.

Students are scheduled to vacate the current middle school campus in January when the new school on FM 2765 opens for service.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the department at 543-5311 or the Crime Stoppers line at 543-TIPS.

Arson is a felony crime.

El Campo volunteers are scheduled to visit local schools starting Monday for Fire Prevention Week (please see related story).

Please look to future editions of the Leader-News for continuing coverage of the incident