Arsonist May Be Responsible For Ottawa County School Fire

COMMERCE, Okla. (AP) -- Investigators say a fire at the Commerce Middle School office is probably the work of an arsonist.<br/><br/>Police Chief Bob Baine says police are interviewing suspects. Baine says

Monday, August 21st 2006, 10:07 am

By: News On 6

COMMERCE, Okla. (AP) -- Investigators say a fire at the Commerce Middle School office is probably the work of an arsonist.

Police Chief Bob Baine says police are interviewing suspects. Baine says one of them is a juvenile.

Baine says the school's motion detector alarm was activated early Monday morning, notifying police and fire units. The fire burned for less than ten minutes.

The chief says the room that burned was separated from the rest of the school by heavy doors, limiting oxygen to the fire.

Firefighters found a 6-inch piece of asphalt that had been thrown through a window of an auxiliary office. School officials say a burning rag stuffed in a gasoline-filled canning jar then was thrown through the window.