Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 20, 1994 TAG: 9407200110
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
School officials have offered a $500 reward to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of those who have damaged or set fire to the building.
The latest incident involved a fire early Tuesday that damaged a room where asbestos was being removed. The room was enclosed with plastic to prevent the escape of asbestos fibers.
Richard Kelley, assistant superintendent for operations, said someone threw a bottle through the window, then set fire to the plastic. The fire was discovered at 3:20 a.m.
City firefighters responded quickly and extinguished the blaze before it could spread to other parts of the school at 1022 Ninth St. S.E., Kelley said
The damage was limited to the room where the asbestos is being removed as a first step in a $5 million renovation. Jackson is the first of several middle schools being remodeled in the next five years.
A week ago, vandals broke 60 windows at Jackson, causing an estimated $2,000 in damage
Kelley said there had been another incident involving a smaller number of windows.
Kelley said security at Jackson has been increased.
Anyone with information about the fire or vandalism can call police at 981-2212 or the school system's security office at 981-2557.
The school system does not routinely offer rewards for information about vandalism, Kelley said, but the damage at Jackson has been more extensive than in other cases.
by CNB