EDISON — A third-grader was allegedly responsible for setting the two fires at district schools over a four-day period, according to Schools Superintendent Richard O’Malley.
O’Malley confirmed that the student, who was taking part in a summer literacy program in the district, was found with a lighter on his person and was determined to have lit the two blazes — one at Washington Elementary School on July 17 and the other at Lindeneau Elementary School on July 21.
The student, who cannot be identified because of his age, will be suspended pending further investigation by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Edison Police Department.
The child’s parents or guardians will be held responsible for damages caused by the fire at Washington Elementary, which consisted of damage to the ceiling, walls and plumbing fixtures, O’Malley said.
Both fires were set by igniting toilet paper rolls in boys’ bathrooms at each of the schools, according to police.
A school staff member quickly extinguished the fire at Lindeneau, preventing any damage to the school, officials said.
The summer literacy group, consisting of 120 students, was at each of the schools on the days when the fires took place. All the students were evacuated without injury.
Township firefighters responded to Lindeneau Elementary to assess the damage and to ensure that the fire had been completely extinguished.
The Lindeneau school, like Washington Elementary, is equipped with smoke detectors and alarms, but the fire did not burn long enough to activate them, school officials said.
A March 2014 fire destroyed the district’s James Monroe Elementary School. A janitor at the school admitted to discarding the cigarette that caused the blaze.
A new school is now under construction at the site.