Investigator: Fire that destroyed old school in Norwood was arson

NORWOOD — Officials believe that a fire which destroyed the old Norwood School on Prospect Street early this morning was intentionally set.

“It was not accidental,” St. Lawrence County fire investigator W. Joseph Lacks said. “We believe this was an intentionally set fire. The fire had several starting points in the building.”

Norwood Police Officer Ryan L. Bogardus spotted smoke coming from the building about 1:10 a.m. while patrolling the village and called emergency dispatchers.

Firefighters from departments including Norwood, Norfolk, Potsdam, West Potsdam, Madrid and Stockholm battled the blaze for several hours.

The old brick structure was gutted and two walls collapsed, but the newer portion of the building was moderately damaged, Mr. Lacks said. No injuries were reported. The owner of the building wasn’t known.

“The place has been abandoned for a few years,” Mr. Lacks said. “There had been kids in and out of there from time to time.”

Anyone with information on the fire can contact St. Lawrence County sheriff’s department at 379-2222.