The preliminary investigation into a suspicious fire on Wednesday in a second-floor boys bathroom at the Georgia Morse Middle School in Pierre indicates the fire was intentionally set.
Pierre Police Captain Bryan Walz says the department’s Middle School resource officer was able to put the fire out.
Walz says the Pierre Fire Department worked to eliminate the smoke from the building and assisted with the evacuation.
The school was closed for the remainder of the day and students were released to parents, per the Pierre School District’s reunification plan. The fire happened around 10:50am CT and all students were turned over to their parents or guardians by 1pm.
The incident remains under investigation.