Fire causes expensive damage to Elfrida high school


Published/Last Modified on Saturday, July 26, 2008 12:51 PM MDT


ELFRIDA–Fire and vandalism at the Valley Union High School caused more than $300,000 in damage to the administration and science buildings early Thursday morning.


The Cochise County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the fire as suspicious.

At about 1:40 a.m. an Elfrida resident spotted smoke billowing from the high school, said Carol Capas, the spokeswoman for the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department. Elfrida Fire and Sunsites Fire responded and contained the flames.

The administration office was severely damaged. This office contained the superintendent’s, principal’s, counselor’s, and business manager’s offices, Capas said.

While deputies were investigating the burn site, they also found that the science building had been vandalized. Sheriff’s deputies did not give specifics about the extent of the damage, but they did say that about $30,000 in damage was done to the science building, Capas said.

The sheriff’s department is continuing the investigation and is following on some leads, Capas said.

Valley Union High School officials could not be reached at press time.

Comments

    Theresa wrote on Jul 28, 2008 7:05 AM:

    " Valley Union High School will start as scheduled. This is a setback but we will continue to move forward as scheduled. Registration will be Wed and Thurs as scheduled but held at the new gym. School will start for student on Aug 6, open house on Aug 5. We have a great staff who all pulled together in a difficult situation. Our phones are up again, computers hooked up, office furniture put together. Anyone with info leading to the arrest of the person (s) involved please contact the sheriff's dept.. "

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