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- A student is suspected of setting a West Haven Elementary bathroom fire, according to Weber School District officials.
- The fire, started before school, triggered sprinklers, causing smoke and water damage.
WEST HAVEN, Weber County — Students were sent home early from West Haven Elementary School after a fire was started in a bathroom Tuesday, Weber School District spokesman Lane Findlay said.
A social media post from the Weber School District reports, "Investigators believe the fire was intentionally set by a student, who is now facing arson charges." Findlay said the student was 11 years old but could not give any more details.
The incident happened right before school started, about 8:20 a.m. A paper towel dispenser was set on fire in a bathroom, triggering the sprinkler system and generating a lot of smoke, he said.
The fire was contained to the bathroom, but "there was quite a bit of water" in the common areas and hallways, Findlay said. "A vast majority of students were on their way," but a few students were in the building eating breakfast and were evacuated to a nearby field.
School was called off due to the smoke and water damage in the building. There was a "significant amount of water accumulation in the hallway and commons area," according to the district.
All students were moved to an evacuation site at a church north of the school building on 4000 South, where staff conducted a "unification" process. Parents and emergency contacts were notified of the event and have been checking in at the church to retrieve their children.
"Our biggest thing is to make sure students are safe and accounted for," Findlay said, before tackling the logistic challenge of sending the recently arrived children back home.
Weber County Sheriff's Sgt. Paul Babinsky, a school resource officer, told KSL he is reviewing security camera footage of the fire but said he suspects "it's just an elementary school kid" who started it.
The state fire marshall's office, which has jurisdiction over schools, is also investigating.
Some smoke damage will have to be remediated from the bathroom and water cleaned up as a result of the fire and sprinklers, but Findlay is "hopeful students will be back tomorrow."
