THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, May 14, 1996 TAG: 9605140279
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE MATHER AND ALETA PAYNE, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
A fire that destroyed two portable classrooms at Windsor Oaks Elementary School early Sunday is suspected to be arson, fire officials said on Monday.
If evidence shows the blaze was set, it will be the third time since September that arsonists have damaged city schools. But fire officials said they don't believe the blazes at Princess Anne and First Colonial high schools, and now Windsor Oaks, are linked.
``There are similarities in that they all happened early in the morning at schools, but we have no evidence to show they're related,'' fire spokesman Chase Sargent said.
The Windsor Oaks fire is still under investigation and is officially classified as ``suspicious.''
Investigators said Monday it looks like someone broke into one of the portable classrooms before the fire started. The fire spread from one portable classroom to the other.
The heat from the blaze also caused minor damage to the nearby main building.
Break-ins also preceded the other two fires.
The Sept. 1 fire at Princess Anne High School caused more than $7 million damage. The April 2 fire at First Colonial High School caused minor damage to a locker room.
``Obviously we're concerned about what appears to be a trend,'' said schools superintendent Timothy R. Jenney.
The Windsor Oaks fire started sometime before 6 a.m. When firefighters first arrived, both trailers were engulfed in flames. One classroom was for music students and the other was for special education.
School officials credited the firefighters with saving the main building.
There wasn't much chance to save the contents of the portable classrooms, fire and school officials said.
In one portable was more than $5,000 of musical equipment that the school and PTA had added to equipment that had been provided by the district. The music portable housed a piano, but there was no recognizable remnant of it or other instruments on Monday morning. Some sheet music, charred around the edges, survived.
Instruments needed for Monday concerts survived because they had been moved into the main building. Other schools have offered to replace some of the lost musical equipment.
Fire and school officials are compiling a list of what was in the classrooms before the fire. That list will help them determine if anything was stolen from the classrooms.
Often, a fire will be set to cover a burglary, as happened in a costly 1993 blaze at Virginia Beach Middle School.
Music teacher Becky Whitson will continue teaching students for the time being from a portable cart, and special education classes will continue meeting in another classroom.
``Our whole intent today is business as usual,'' said principal John A. Mirra.
District Spokesman Joe Lowenthal said school officials are trying to locate other portable classrooms to replace the fire-damaged ones. If portables are available, they could be placed at Windsor Oaks in a couple of weeks.
Monday, many teachers showed students the burned classrooms and talked about fire safety.
``To think how close we came to losing the whole school with so few weeks left until the end of the school year,'' said PTA president Elaine Barnes. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
Color photos
SEPT. 1: PRINCESS ANNE
APRIL 1: FIRST COLONIAL
MAY 12: WINDSOR OAKS
[For complete graphic, please see microfilm]
Photo
CHARLIE MEADS/The Virginian-Pilot
On Monday, some Windsor Oaks teachers took the time to show students
the burned classrooms and talked about fire safety.
KEYWORDS: FIRES ARSON VIRGINIA BEACH SCHOOLS
WINDSOR OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL by CNB