[CPProt.net] Suspicious Fire Destroys School Library

[Museum Security Network / Cultural Property Protection Net (Ton Cremers)]

Suspicious Fire Destroys School Library

ABC7 
Apr. 23 (ABC7) - An early morning fire destroyed a school library in the
East Bay. Investigators say the cause is suspicious.
Local Headlines 
 
The fire broke out at the Castro elementary school in El Cerrito. The fire
didn't damage any classrooms, but it did destroy the school's library, and
administrators and teachers are of course very upset. 

The library is now boarded up. Flames broke out at around 5:30 Saturday
morning, and it looks like it may have been intentionally set. 

Firefighters say there is no indication that there was an electrical
shortage or that this was the result of some other action. 

All of the library's 7,000 books had to be thrown out. They were either
burned or had smoke and water damage. 

This fire couldn't come at a worse time. The school just spent thousands of
dollars in automation upgrades that included two new computers, software,
and a bar-code system designed to make it easer for students to look up and
check out books. 

The damage is estimated at $150,000. 

Classes will resume on Monday, and school staff says it's going to be
difficult to break the news to its 340 students. 

Galen Murphy, Castro school principal: "You can still see the scorch marks
even though the building is boarded up. And that will be evident, and I know
it will be very devastating for us, to them. And I know it will be nice,
though, that some of the books were checked out to the kids. The only books
that we have left are the ones that the kids have at home, so we'll be
asking for those to be returned and maybe we can circulate some books." 

If you would like to make a donation to Castro Elementary, an account has
been set up at Mechanics Bank. The address is 9996 San Pablo Avenue in El
Cerrito.


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