Costa Mesa High fire possible arson

-- Deirdre Newman

A fire that tore through a special-education classroom at Costa Mesa

High School is raising suspicion of arson, investigators said Friday.

It is the third fire to hit the school in the past few weeks -- the

two previous ones, also attributed to suspicious causes, involved minor

fires in portable bathrooms on the school’s athletic field.

Fire Capt. Marty Hugnenin said while he suspects arson, investigators

are still trying to rule out ignition sources inside the classroom, such

as electricity and gas lines.

The fire broke out about 9:30 p.m. Thursday. Thirty-three firefighters

initially responded to the blaze, said Gregg Steward, battalion chief.

The classroom sustained major damage to its interior, forcing the

eight to 13 deaf and hearing-impaired students who use it to be

relocated. Steward estimated the damage to the classroom to be between

$40,000 and $50,000.

Connie Duddridge, the Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s risk

management director, said the district will increase its efforts to have

students and staff phone in anonymous tips through a national tip

hotline.