NEWS RELEASE

(Juveniles Believed to Be Responsible for Beaver Acres School Fire)

Fire and state police investigators have identified six male juveniles as persons of interest in a fire that occurred last Saturday night at Beaver Acres School in Beaverton. The involved juveniles do not attend Beaver Acres School and include a seven (7) year-old, eight (8) year-old, an 11 year-old, two 12 year-olds, and a 13 year-old. Damage estimates to the building and contents now stand at $500,000.

Investigators from Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue and Oregon State Police spent this week examining evidence at the scene, interviewing school staff, neighbors and students, and following-up on reports from individuals who might have seen or heard something relevant to the fire. Their information will now be forwarded to the Washington County Juvenile Department for follow-up. Further inquiries regarding the criminal investigation of this case should go to OSP Sgt. Aaron Olson, whose numbers appear in the heading of this release.

Friday will be the first day back for the fourth and fifth grade students. Temporary classes have been established in the gymnasium area. Kathy Leslie, Beaverton School District spokesperson, states, "We want to thank the entire community for their support and generosity during this heartwrenching period." Leslie added, "Teachers whose classrooms were lost in the fire have been helped by retired teachers coming in to help and other teachers in the district sharing lessons plans and supplies."

The Beaver Acres School fire serves as a reminder about Oregon’s Arson Awareness Week, scheduled for May 1-7, 2000. Karen Eubanks, Public Information Officer for Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, states, "The incident reiterates the importance of increasing awareness about Oregon’s juvenile firesetting problem." Oregon youths account for 72% of arson arrests. Eubanks added, "Most people might believe that juvenile firesetting is only young children curious about fire. The reality, though, is that it also includes children who deliberately set fires because of a crisis event, peer pressure, or as an expression of anger."

To help combat juvenile firesetting locally, a Washington County Juvenile Firesetting Intervention Network was formed. The Juvenile Firesetting Intervention Network includes mental health providers, fire departments, juvenile departments, schools, law enforcement, Children’s Services Division, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal. The Network assesses the behavior of a child in question and provides fire safety education and/or a referral for treatment. Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue and the Beaverton School District are active participants of the Network.

###