A teenager set fire to the Ben Franklin Elementary School library Tuesday night, April 16, and is in custody, a press release said.
Firefighters were called to the school, 1016 S. 20th St., as fire alarms sounded around 6:30 p.m., according to a press release.
A custodian discovered a small fire in the library and extinguished it before firefighters arrived, the release said. There were students and staff in the building during the fire, but the release said the library was empty.
An investigation with the fire department, police department and North Dakota State Fire Marshal’s Office, revealed a 13-year-old boy intentionally set the fire, the release said. He was arrested around 9 p.m. and charged with arson and endangerment by fire, according to the release. The boy’s identity is not public information because he is a minor.
The school closed Wednesday for clean up and repairs, and the release said the extent of damage is still being evaluated.
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