PUYALLUP, Wash. — Two teenage boys are in custody and facing charges for allegedly lighting off fireworks and setting fire to a Puyallup elementary school over the July Fourth weekend.
The fire at Karshner Elementary School in Puyallup started around 11 a.m. Sunday, July 5. The flames quickly spread and firefighters on scene were forced to take a defensive approach and fight the fire from the outside of the building.
It took hours for firefighters to put out the flames, and many crews had to stay on scene overnight to ensure the fire didn't start up again.
The Puyallup Police Department and Fire Marshalls immediately started investigating the cause of the fire and determined that two 15-year-old boys had been throwing fireworks into trash cans near one of the school buildings and it caught fire, according to a release from the police department Wednesday.
The teens were arrested Wednesday and booked into Remann Hall for charges of arson in the first degree, police said.
The flames caused serious damage throughout the school, including water and smoke damage in classrooms, hallways and common areas.
No injuries were reported.
The Puyallup School District had said in June it planned to welcome students back for in-person classes in the fall, but this damage will likely be a major setback.
Central Pierce Fire & Rescue were assisted by East Pierce Fire & Rescue and Graham Fire & Rescue during the firefight.