A cigarette is believed to have caused the April 16 fire at Oconto High School, and the 16-year-old student authorities believe left class early to smoke it has been referred to juvenile authorities, according to a news release from Oconto Police Chief Dan Ault.
According to the release, investigators believe the fire was started accidentally when the cigarette was near a toilet paper dispenser in the bathroom stall.
The 16-year-old was identified as a person of interest after police reviewed the school’s security video and interviewed staff and students. In an interview with the boy, police learned he left class early and went to the bathroom where he then smoked a home-rolled cigarette, approximately 10 to 15 minutes before the fire was discovered, the news release states.
The police do not believe anyone else used the bathroom after him.
The fire, though contained to the bathroom of the science hall, caused an estimated $5 million damage when the ventilation system spread smoke throughout the building. Students are attending classes at the middle school until clean-up is complete. The school, which opened for tech ed classes this week, is scheduled to reopen for all students on May 12.
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