A fire damaged a bathroom at one of the Bristol Township School District’s closed and empty elementary schools.
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The fire happened shortly before 7:30 at the closed George Washington Elementary School on Crabtree Drive in Bristol Township’s Levittown section.
“Crews noticed a smoke condition coming from the building. Assignment was upgraded. Crews forced entry finding an intentionally lite fire in a restroom,” a post from the Levittown Fire Company No. 2 said.
Using a hand line, firefighters were able to extinguish the flames before they spread beyond the bathroom.
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Images posted by the fire company show black soot and fire damage throughout the bathroom.
Fire Marshal Kevin Dippolito said the fire has been ruled an arson.
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“A description of several juveniles seen entering the school just prior to the fire is being forwarded to Bristol Township police,” he said.
Washington and five other Bristol Township elementary schools closed in 2016 as the district consolidated students into three new buildings.
For years, there has been a preliminary plan by developer John McGrath’s firm to construct a 55-plus development with a mix of flats and apartments on the school sites. The process has moved slowly and the buildings have been besieged with vandals.
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The closed school buildings have been hit by arson before. The Washington school was the site of a 2019 arson.
“If you see trespasser entering an abandon property or an access point of a structure unsecured. Please call the police immediately. These incident need to be reported,” the fire company said.
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In addition to Levittown Fire Company No. 2, the Edgely and Fairless Hills fire companies responded.
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