A fire that razed parts of Trace Elementary School in San Jose earlier this month was in fact an act of arson, investigators concluded.
The July 5 fire destroyed single-story classrooms for grades one through three and caused $10 million worth of damage to the school, located at 651 Dana Ave., according to the San Jose School District.
San Jose fire Capt. Chuck Rangel said today investigators determined the fire's cause was arson was based upon investigation of the scene, interviews with witnesses, and review of evidence.
"We found no obvious evidence of accidental cause," Rangel said.
The fire was reported July 5 at about 4:20 a.m. and controlled just after 2:40 p.m.
At the fire's peak, about 100 people were helping fight the blaze, Rangel said.
School district officials said classes will begin as scheduled on Aug. 16 and will still be held on the school's campus.
A recently completed two-story portion of the school containing grades three through five was saved, and portable classrooms will likely be used for displaced students, district spokeswoman Karen Fuqua said.
District officials plan to conduct community meetings later this summer to keep parents informed of any new developments.
