Second boy, 14, charged over school fire

UPDATE, 8PM TUESDAY: A SECOND teenage boy has been arrested and charged over Monday’s night’s alleged arson attack at Cowra High School.

In a statement Tuesday night, NSW Police confirmed a 14-year-old boy was arrested outside Cowra High School about 4pm on Tuesday, following further inquiries into the fire.

He was taken to Cowra Police Station and charged with destroy or damage property by fire or explosion (more than $15,000) and aggravated break and enter with intent to commit a serious indictable offence in company.

The teenager was refused bail and is due to appear before the Children’s Bail Division Court on Wednesday, July 22.

The arrest comes after a 17-year-old former student was charged over the alleged arson attack on Monday night.

Police allege the older teen filmed the fire as it engulfed the administration building before sharing the footage on social media, where he allegedly boasted about the incident.

He was later arrested after being identified by his own father who recognised his voice in the footage.

The 17-year-old appeared before a children’s court on Tuesday where he was formally refused bail, after a magistrate ruled he posed an ‘unacceptable risk’ to the community.

The fire, which broke out shortly after 7pm on Monday, caused extensive damage to the school’s administration block and smoke damage to surrounding buildings.

The school has since been deemed safe by a certified hygienist, with students and staff expected to return on Wednesday, July 22.

Investigations into the fire are ongoing.

UPDATE, 5PM TUESDAY: A TEENAGER accused of setting fire to his former school in Cowra was already known to police, authorities have confirmed.

The 17-year-old was arrested about 10pm on Monday, July 20, after allegedly breaking into Cowra High School and setting fire to the administration building.

Police allege the former student filmed the blaze as it took hold before later sharing the footage to social media, where he allegedly boasted about the crime.

The boy appeared via audio visual link before Parramatta Children’s Court on Tuesday, charged with a string of serious offences, including “post and boast” charges.

The boy’s lawyer argued there was no evidence linking him to the Snapchat account, CCTV footage or forensic evidence recovered from the scene.

However, the court was told the teenager was identified by his father, who recognised his voice in the footage.

The teenager, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was formally refused bail, with the magistrate finding he posed an unacceptable risk to the community.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday afternoon, Acting Inspector Sergeant Adam Tonkin confirmed the 17-year-old was known to police and said investigators had not ruled out further arrests, as inquiries continue into the alleged involvement of others.

The fire caused extensive damage to the school’s administration building, while nearby classrooms also sustained significant smoke damage.

Image: Facebook/John Porter

Cowra High School remained closed on Tuesday as students began Term 3 through online learning.

The school has since confirmed the site has been deemed safe by a certified hygienist, with students and staff expected to return on Wednesday, July 22.

UPDATE, 12PM TUESDAY: THE full extent of the damage caused by Monday night’s arson attack at Cowra High School has begun to emerge, with authorities confirming the blaze was contained to the administration building and library thanks to the rapid response of firefighters.

Fire and Rescue NSW Acting Superintendent Peter Murray said firefighters arrived about 10 minutes after Triple Zero (000) calls were received shortly after 7pm, finding the administration office well alight.

“It was a substantial fire. The damage was extensive to that part of the building,” Mr Murray said.

“Crews worked pretty hard and were able to, fortunately, contain it to that part of the building.”

A 17-year-old boy allegedly filmed the fire as it took hold before later boasting about lighting the blaze on social media | Images: Supplied

Mr Murray said firefighters brought the blaze under control within 30 minutes of arriving, preventing it from spreading further across the campus before remaining on scene into the night to ensure it was fully extinguished.

Images taken the morning after the fire show visible smoke staining and fire damage to sections of the administration building, with parts of the facade blackened following the blaze.

The high school remained closed on Tuesday, with students beginning Term 3 through online learning as the school faces an uncertain timeline for reopening.

The fire caused extensive damage to the school’s administration building | Image: Facebook/John Porter

A 17-year-old former student accused of lighting the blaze was arrested at a home in Cowra about 10pm on Monday.

Videos and voice recordings obtained by The Junee Bulletin allegedly show the teenager filming the blaze as it took hold before later boasting about breaking into the school and lighting the fire on Snapchat.

He was charged with a list of serious offences and refused police bail to appear in a children’s court on Tuesday.

Local MP Steph Cooke praised the efforts of emergency services, particularly firefighters and police, for preventing what could have been a far more devastating outcome.

“At this stage, we understand the damage is confined to the administration building and the library,” Ms Cooke said.

“I want to commend the school’s leadership and staff for ensuring learning continued online today as students returned from the school holidays.

“While the safety of students and staff remains the priority, it is too early to determine when the school grounds will be able to safely reopen.”

Ms Cooke said she had contacted the relevant NSW ministers seeking support for the school community, including assistance for students and staff and resources to help repair the damage and reopen the school as quickly as possible.

The fire caused extensive damage to the school’s administration building | Image: Facebook/John Porter

FIRST: COWRA High School will remain closed on Tuesday after part of the campus was engulfed in flames following an apparent arson attack on Monday night.

Emergency services were called to reports of a structure fire at the school on Dowell Street shortly after 7pm on July 20, with firefighters arriving to find part of the administration block well alight.

Emergency services on the scene of the fire on Monday night | Image: Facebook/John Porter

Police allege the fire was deliberately lit by a 17-year-old former student of the school.

A Snapchat video obtained by The Junee Bulletin shows the boy standing outside the administration building filming the blaze as it took hold, while appearing to revel in the destruction.

“Look at that shit burn, boys. Look at this, the administration office… look at that b**** burn,” he can be heard saying.

A teenage boy filmed himself revelling in the destruction as the flames spread through the school’s administration office | Images: Supplied

A separate Snapchat voice recording, also obtained by The Junee Bulletin, allegedly captures the same boy later boasting about how he allegedly entered the building before lighting the fire.

“They left the whole f****** back part on the top open on A Block,” the boy says.

“So we just climbed up on the second floor and then we f****** went in, and them sliding doors, you can pull right open. That’s what we did, and then just lit the packages they had sitting there and f****** whatever else.”

Multiple Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW Rural Fire Service crews responded to the incident, with firefighters working for nearly two hours to extinguish the blaze.

Police and NSW Ambulance paramedics also attended, though no injuries were reported.

A NSW Police spokesperson said the fire caused extensive damage to the administration block.

“Smoke damage was also sustained to other buildings within the school grounds,” the spokesperson said.

A crime scene was established and, following inquiries, the 17-year-old was arrested at a home in Cowra about 10pm.

He was taken to Cowra Police Station and charged with destroy or damage property by fire or explosion (more than $15,000), commit an offence under Section 112(1), disseminate material, and break and enter with intent to destroy property valued at more than $60,000.

The teenager was refused bail and is due to appear before the Children’s Court on Tuesday.

Due to his age, he cannot be identified.

The fire comes less than 24 hours before students were due to return for the first day of Term 3.

In an email sent to parents late Monday night, principal Anthony Hamer confirmed the school would remain closed on Tuesday, with students unable to return until the site is deemed safe.

“This fire has caused damage to some areas of the school, and we are currently working to have the entire school site safe for the return of our staff and students,” Mr Hamer said.

“This means students will not be able to access the school site on Tuesday … the safety of our school community is our number one priority.”

Classes will instead resume through online learning in the interim, with the school expected to provide a further update to families on Tuesday afternoon.