At Least Two Classrooms Destroyed; Others Damaged
By Susan Motander
At 12:23 a.m. early Monday morning, an arson fire was set at Monrovia High School. A 17-year-old MHS student is already in custody, according to Monrovia Police Chief Jim Hunt.
“It was lucky there was a witness who called 911 and the fire department was able to get there quickly and contain the fire,” Chief Hunt said.
He also said that the witness has spoken with the police and that as a result the suspect is already in custody. Hunt explained that since the suspect is a juvenile his identity cannot be released, but said that he remains in custody at the Eastlake Juvenile facility.
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The fire broke out in the counseling offices on the first floor of the main building and spread to the upper story. According to staff at the high school, the power has been shut off in the main building and will remain off until the fire department completes its investigation. The school district engineers will then be able to assess whether the power can be safely restored.
Classes remain in full session even though half the campus has been closed according to Monrovia Fire Department Battalion Chief Chris Fabrizio. Arson investigators from the San Gabriel Valley Arson and Explosive Task Force are conducting a thorough investigation; A full report of that investigation will not be available for some time, according to Fabrizio.
Twelve classrooms have been closed due to damage from the fire and to water damage from the firefighting action. Chief Fabrizio said that exact figures are not yet available as to the extent of the cost of the damage, but made a “very preliminary” estimate at $500,000 in structural damage and an additional $200,00 in damage to the contents of the building.
