NEWS RELEASE
March 20, 2001
Release: Immediately
Contact:     Karen Eubanks, TVFR, (503) 642-0350 / (503) 229-9381 (pager)
                  Bonnie Webber, Oregon City High School, (503) 657-2506 / (503) 799-4985 (cell)

(Bathroom Fire at Local High School Prompts Students to be Dismissed)

At 9:30 am today, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue was called to a reported fire at Oregon High School located at 1306 12^th Street. First arriving crews found students evacuating the building and were told by school officials that the fire was in an upstairs boys’ bathroom. Crews entered the building and quickly extinguished the fire. The materials involved in the fire are not being released at this time, however, the fire occurred in a bathroom stall and is believed to have been intentionally set. Damage estimate is expected to be at least $5,000 for repairs to the stall and floor. No injuries were reported.

Although the fire was small, it caused significant smoke throughout the building, which contained the cafeteria and classrooms for approximately 500 students. Firefighters spent over 40 minutes removing smoke. Because of the time of day and number of students affected, school officials decided to dismiss approximately 1,300 students for the remaining portion of the school day. Buses were brought back to the school at around 11 am for students to return home.

Karen Eubanks, Public Information Officer, states, "Because of certain criteria relating to this incident (protected property, occupied building, and structural damage), the person(s) responsible for setting this fire could potentially be charged with Arson in the 1^st Degree." Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue is encouraging students with information about the fire to contact school officials.

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