Wis. Elementary School Fire Investigated As Arson

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Authorities confirmed late Tuesday night a fire that closed an elementary school in western Wisconsin is being investigated as arson.

Crews were called to the St. Croix Central Elementary School in Roberts, Wis., early Tuesday morning on a report of a fire. When authorities arrived, flames were shooting up in the air out of the roof of the school. The fire likely started in the front of the school near administrative offices and the school's library.

There are just a couple of weeks of school left at St. Croix Central Elementary, and now they will have to finish up with parts of their schools severely damaged. It took about 90 firefighters with 15 units to put out the fire. School officials haven't said what it's going to do about classes for the remainder of the week.

Authorities said there were signs of a forced entry before the fire started, and they're asking for the public's help to identify anything suspicious or out of the ordinary from the incident Monday night. Anyone with information is asked to call St. Croix County Dispatch at (715) 386-4701.