By Lateef Mungin
Marin Independent Journal
A rash of six suspicious fires that have destroyed structures at Marinwood schools has unnerved the parents of young school children and sent fire officials and the sheriff's department searching for an arsonist.
Six fires have been set at Dixie, Miller Creek and Marin Waldorf Schools since January, said Marinwood Fire Chief Jay Neuhaus. Though the fires have been small and caused less than $10,000 in damage, three school structures have been damaged, Neuhaus said.
Dixie School is vacant for summer vacation. Miller Creek is open for summer school as is Marin Waldorf, a private school.
"The fires affected all my children very strongly," said Regina Weldon, who has four children ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade who attend Marin Waldorf School. "Especially when the children's play house was burned down. The kids wondered who would do something like that. I am hopeful that it won't happen again."
The last fire occurred on Monday and Neuhaus said his department has no idea who is setting them. In some of the incidents matches used to start the blazes were left on the scene. Community members have placed fliers advertising a $2,000 reward for information on the fires but no witnesses have come forward, making it hard to find leads on the culprit, Neuhaus said. The fires are also being investigated by the Sheriff's Department, Neuhaus said.
"We usually get the calls when the fires have already done the damage," Neuhaus said. "There does not seem to be a pattern to the fires other than (the suspect) is targeting local schools."
The incidents were:
-- January 27: A storage shed at Dixie School was burned in a fire that was reported at 1:52 p.m.
-- February 18: A wooden playhouse adjacent to the kindergarten wing of Marin Waldorf School was burned to the ground. The fire was reported at 12:45 a.m.
-- March 2: A wooden garden shed containing approximately $2,000 worth of gardening tools was burned to the ground. The fire was reported at 1:17 a.m.
-- May 29: Shrubbery around a playground structure at Dixie School was burned. The fire was reported at 1:31 a.m.
-- June 28: A hay bail was burned on the playground of Marin Waldorf School. The fire was reported at 6:09 a.m.
-- July 2: A pile of construction debris was burned at Miller Creek School. The fire was reported at 7 p.m.
Dixie School District Superintendent Tom Lohwasser said he has discussed the situation with the fire department and the Sheriff's Department and has considered hiring security to monitor the district's schools.
"The scary part about this is you don't know why people are doing this," Lohwasser said. "We don't know why people are setting the fires so we don't know how far they will take it."
Anybody with information on the fires can contact the county Sheriff's Department at 499-7233 or the Marinwood Fire Department at 472-0122.
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Saturday, February 4, 2012