Jordan Middle School Fire Could Be Part of String of Arson

 Police are investigating a small arson fire at Jordan Middle  School in Palo Alto over the weekend that may be connected to other recent  fires in the city, a department spokesman said today.
     The blaze was reported at about 7:50 p.m. Sunday at the school,  located at 750 North California Ave., police Agent Rich Bullerjahn said.
     A resident walking through the school with his children came  across a man stomping on a burning towel. The man said he had seen two  teenage boys running from the campus.
     The resident called police, and the man who had been putting out  the fire described the teens as between 15 and 18 years old, about 5 feet 10  inches tall and 150 pounds.
     The towel was about 30 feet from the nearest structure, Bullerjahn  said.
     Police are investigating whether the small blaze is connected to  other recent school and park fires. On July 7, a play structure was set on  fire at Palo Alto's Hoover Park, and on Aug. 3 a Dumpster containing wood and  metal debris burned in a suspicious fire at Gunn High School.
     Bullerjahn said detectives have little information about the  suspects in the fires.
     "Most of the similarity is that they've all been described as  teenagers," Bullerjahn said.