By Alaura Schuler

A fire disrupted the Atlantic High School on Tuesday Sept. 25. The student who allegedly started the fire was charged with first degree arson. But what is arson in the first degree? According to the Iowa Code, arson is considered to be in the first degree when “the presence of one or more persons can be reasonable anticipated in or near the property which is the subject of the arson, or the arson results in the death of a fire fighter, whether paid or volunteer. ” First-degree arson  is a class “B” felony.

Principal Heather McKay said this is the first fire at AHS since she became principal in 2010. “In general, arson is one of those crimes where the motivation behind it” is different for each case. “It’s a very sad situation,” said McKay.  McKay said the students of AHS were not in danger when the fire happened.

What should students do if they ever see a fire in the building? McKay said, “If you see an open fire, pull  [the fire alarm]. Pull it and exit the building for your safety. We will come find you when we need to.” McKay said that students are so often told not to touch the alarms, they might be hesitant to pull it when they see a fire. “Students are trained to not pull the alarm,” she said, clarifying that students should not waste time coming to the office or finding a teacher; in case of fire, pull the alarm and get out of the building.

McKay would like students to know that “They (fires)  are not to be played with. They can get out of hand. You don’t know how bad it can get. It’s scary.”