COURTESY PHOTO
A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in the arson at Waiakea High School on April 11. The fire was located in the records room of the campus administration building. Water and smoke damage extended to surrounding buildings.
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Reward offered over Waiakea school fire
HILO » The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco and Explosives and the Hawaii County Police Department are offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone who set fire to Waiakea High School on April 11.
Damage in the incident was put at more than $1 million.
Besides the reward, two hot lines were set up, 961-2383 at the Police Department and 888-ATF-FIRE at the federal agency.
Police requested the assistance of ATF shortly after the fire, and approval was granted this week for involvement of the federal agency, said police Capt. Chadwick Fukui.
Police have collected evidence from the scene, and ATF has laboratories and investigators to provide in-depth analysis, Fukui said.
Besides the alcohol, tobacco and firearms cases indicated by the agency name, ATF is allowed to provide assistance with certain arson cases, such as those involving, schools, churches and abortion clinics, he said.
The fire was reported at about 1:15 a.m. April 11, located in the records room of the campus administration building. Water and smoke damage extended to surrounding buildings. Principal Patricia Nekoba said at the time that the primary damage was to the school's electrical and computer system rather than to school records.