MARYSVILLE — A fire that destroyed a portable building at Marysville’s Cedarcrest Middle School earlier this month was arson, the Snohomish County Fire Marshal has determined.
Now Marysville police are asking for help to find a suspect.
No one was hurt in the Aug. 1 blaze. The charred portable bathroom has been removed.
Around 5:30 a.m. that day, firefighters and police were called to the school along 88th Street. No students or staff were on campus at the time.
First responders found the bathroom, a dumpster and a trash can on fire.
The building was a total loss with an estimated $72,000 in damage. Badly burned structural beams were mostly all that was left of the building.
More damage, to the dumpster, was estimated at $900.
Flames scorched other nearby portables. They had recently been painted for the upcoming school year. Cost of that damage hasn’t been determined yet.
Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call Marysville detective Chris Jones at 360-363-8300.
People who send tips that lead to an arrest may receive a reward.
Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound is offering up to $1,000. Call 1-800-222-8477 or go to www.P3Tips.com to submit anonymous information.
The Arson Alarm Foundation says it will pay $10,000. Call 1-800-552-7766.
The investigation is ongoing.
Similar early morning fires were reported in 2018 at Pinewood Elementary School in Marysville.
That May, firefighters extinguished flames in a green recycling bin near the gym area of the school at 5115 84th St NE.
A few days later, firefighters responded to another blaze outside of the school, inside a dumpster. They also put out a smoldering fire in a nearby portable restroom.
Later that week, firefighters responded to another fire at the school, in the same dumpster that previously burned.
Suspects identified in that case included two boys and an 18-year-old man.
Stephanie Davey: 425-339-3192; sdavey@heraldnet.com; Twitter:@stephrdavey.
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