NEWMAN, Calif. — A pre-dawn fire that tore through the administrative building of the Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District early Saturday morning has been ruled arson, and investigators are asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspect captured on security footage.
The fire was reported at 3:15 a.m. June 29 at 1040 Merced St., where firefighters arrived to find heavy flames engulfing part of the structure.
Newman Fire Department crews were met with a difficult attic fire that took nearly an hour and a half to extinguish. “It was a challenge getting it out,” said Fire Chief Keith Bowen. “The way the structure was designed made getting access to where the fire was burning difficult.”…