Damage estimates from a recent series of suspicious fires on Washington State University’s Pullman campus have risen to more than $800,000.
The damage resulted from three fires within the span of a week which destroyed two university housing community centers and damaged neighboring buildings, as well as causing damage to a research lab. The most recent fire, which occurred early Tuesday, damaged a laboratory in McCoy Hall. The damage there was limited, however, by the operation of a sprinkler system which quickly extinguished several fires that appear to have been intentionally set.
The community center structures at Nez Perce Village on May 22nd and Chief Joseph Village apartments last Saturday were destroyed by fire. Both buildings are owned by WSU and are now considered to be a complete loss.
An arson task force that includes WSU Police, the WSU Fire Marshall, the Pullman Fire Department and Pullman Police has been established to investigate the fires.
Anyone with information on the fires is asked to contact either the WSU Police Department at (509) 335-8548, or the Pullman Fire Department at (509) 332-8172.
