News
Fire Badly Damages Old River Valley High School
By: Benjamin Schwartz
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UPDATE 12:30 p.m. — The Gallia County Sheriff’s Office says charges are being filed in a fire that occurred at the old River Valley High School.
In a press release released Tuesday, the sheriff’s office said an investigation “led to the identification of several persons of interest” believed to be responsible for starting the fire, which was reported just after 8 p.m. Saturday evening. The Ohio State Fire Marshal’s Fire and Explosion Bureau is still investigating the fire.
“At this time, this investigation is still ongoing, however we anticipate charges to be filed in the near future on the individuals responsible for causing this fire,” the sheriff’s office release stated.
According to the fire marshal’s office, charges are pending for three individuals. Police were able to identify the suspects after a woman shared a video of the individuals inside the building at the time of the fire. After a confession from the two individuals, an adult suspect was brought in for questioning this morning.
The fire burned the gymnasium of the former high school, and it took crews from Gallipolis, Springfield Township, Middleport, Pomeroy and Rutland Fire Departments about three hours to control the fire.
An investigator from the Ohio Fire Marshall’s office is working with authorities in Gallia County to determine the cause of a fire at the old River Valley High School.
Local firefighters were alerted just after eight o’clock last night about the fire and worked for over three hours to put it out. Crews from five different municipalities were on site.
An update from the Fire Marshall and Gallia County officials is expected to come tomorrow afternoon.
