Breaking News

Two arrests made after series of early morning WSU fires

April 21, 2008, 9:38 am

PULLMAN -- Pullman police have arrested two men following a rash of small fires that broke out on the Washington State University campus early
this morning.
In a news release, WSU said both men are students at the university. David Patrick Miner, 21, was arrested on an obstruction charge after police
observed him running away from the general area where seven small fires apparently were purposely set between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m., WSU Police Chief
Bill Gardner said.
Miner named the second suspect, Ian Joseph Copland, 18, who was taken into custody later in the day. Both will be charged with five counts of
first-degree arson and four counts of second-degree reckless burning, according to WSU. They have been transported to Colfax where they will be arraigned in Whitman County Superior Court later today or tomorrow, Gardner said.
The most significant fire was in the Stephenson residence hall complex, where some newspapers were set on fire, charring a wall. The fire set off
alarms and forced the evacuation of Stephenson Hall, according to theuniversity.
Four total fires were set in various locations at Stephenson, and all were put out by students and resident advisers with fire extinguishers before
firefighters arrived, Gardner said.
Other fires were set in a Kimbrough Music Building outdoor trash bin, in a tree along College Avenue and in a garbage can inside the Fine Arts Building parking structure. Gardner said some reports of explosions were because of the popping sounds made when sprinklers were triggered inside the parking garage, and no signs of explosions or accelerants were found at any of the fires.
No injuries or serious damage was reported. "There was no structural damage, but some cosmetic damage," Gardner said.
He said there isn't yet any evidence of a connection to several apparent arson fires that struck Pullman last November. "I don't see anything here that connects the two in any obvious way," he said. Investigators will continue to pursue that possibility, he added.
No suspects have been named in the November arsons.