Arson likely cause of fires at Evergreen

By Diane Huber | The Olympian • Published September 14, 2008

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Arson is believed to be the cause of two early morning fires on The Evergreen State College campus Sunday that caused an estimated $35,000 in damage.

The first fire, reported at about 2 a.m., engulfed five Dumpsters in a residential housing area near the intersection of Overhulse and Driftwood roads, according to an Evergreen news release. The building closest to the fires and those nearby were unoccupied. Housing check-in for fall term begins Saturday.

The second fire, reported about 4:20 a.m. by a neighbor who saw smoke and flames, destroyed a tool shed and greenhouse at the college's organic farm on Lewis Road on the west side of the campus.

"All the tools that were in the tool shed were lost. They were mostly hand tools used in the organic farm," said Steve North, chief of the McLane-Black Lake Fire District.

He said the fire was clearly deliberate.

"We eliminated all accidental causes of the fire. There was no electrical components" in the greenhouse that could have caused a fire, he said.

Damage from the Dumpster fires is estimated at $5,000. Damage from the fires at the organic farm is estimated at $30,000. The McLane-Black Lake Fire Department and The Evergreen State College Police Services responded to the fires and are investigating the causes.

Anyone with information related to these incidents is asked to call The Evergreen State College Police Services at 360-867-6832.