11-year-old charged with arson at Paris Elementary School

PARIS, Maine — An 11-year-old girl in Paris has been charged with arson, accused of setting fire to two bathrooms at the town's elementary school.

The sixth-grader was charged by the state fire marshal's office Tuesday and released to the custody of her parents.

According to Maine's Public Safety Department spokesperson Steve McCausland, the fires were reported just before 9 a.m. in two girls bathrooms – one on a lower level of the school and a second on the main floor.

Fire investigators told McCausland that paper products were set on fire at both locations, and that the fire on the main floor went out by itself, but moderate fire and smoke damage was reported the lower level bathroom.

Four members of the fire marshal's office responded and worked closely with the school's resource officer to identify the suspected student involved.

The school was evacuated after the fire alarm was sounded.

There were no injuries, McCausland said.

In a Facebook post, school officials said Wednesday that Paris Elementary will remain closed for the remainder of the week as crews repair the damage caused by the fires.

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