An arson fire that rendered a building in a Sierra Vista school useless has officials working through the holiday break to determine how to keep extracurricular activities going in the new year.
The fire was started early Sunday in the choir room in the fine arts building at Sierra Vista Middle School, said city Fire Marshal Paul Cimino.
Though that was the only room destroyed by fire, the rest of the building suffered major smoke and water damage.
"I'm upset because of the loss of the programs that the kids had," said Principal Jim Sprigg. "We'll have them (the programs) back, but not in the condition that we had."
Classes will not be affected by the fire, Sprigg said, and will resume Jan. 2 as scheduled. The only issue is trying to figure out where to house the band, choir and other arts classes that were held in the building.
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After a day of walking through the damaged building, Sprigg said he is certain repairs and cleanup efforts will keep the building closed to students and faculty for the rest of the school year.
"It's a pretty vicious act," Sprigg said. "You just don't know what's going through someone's mind."
Fire officials responded to the blaze after a call reporting smoke in the area at 3 a.m. Sunday. Fire crews were able to control the fire in about 30 minutes. It had most likely burned for an hour, said Cimino.
Cimino said arson is the cause of the fire, after police officers reported broken windows and doors in the room where the fire started. "All evidence points to that," he said.
Also, the school gymnasium was vandalized with spray paint. About 850 students attend the school.
This is the first fire at the school, said Sprigg, a 25-year veteran of the district.
"I feel bummed out," Sprigg said. "I can't believe the total disrespect for the students and staff of the district."
"It's a pretty vicious act. You just don't know what's going through someone's mind."
Jim Sprigg
Principal
