UPDATE: The Sanford Police Department along with Hutter Construction are offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for the arson and vandalism to the Sanford New High School construction site that happened on Monday, June 11.
Those with information are asked to call Detective Colleen Adams at (207) 324-9170 ext: 226 or by email at Cjadams@Sanfordmaine.org.
If you would like to leave a confidential tip, you may do so by calling (207) 324-9170 x170 or by visiting www.tipsubmit.com
SANFORD (NEWS CENTER Maine) — Vandals started three fires at the site of the new Sanford High School, that is still under construction, according to fire officials.
The Sanford Fire Chief Steve Benotti said a person, or several, started three small fires at the new school site damaging walls and equipment overnight.
A patrolling officer drove by the construction site around 4:30 a.m. Monday and noticed a the glow of a fire inside the building. When Sanford Fire crews arrived they found three more smoldering fires in other parts of the school. Superintendent of Sanford Schools, David Theoharides, said it looked like someone had set fire to a table of blueprints and drove a scissor lift over several ladders and paint cans before crashing it into a wall.
As of 6:30 a.m. officials on site of the new high school and Sanford Regional Technical Center that sits on a 127-acre parcel between Main Street and Route 4, said there were no active fires.
Officials say the damage will delay construction by at least a day as police and the State Fire Marshal investigate. The high school and technical center costs more than $100.2 million which city and state officials say is the most expensive school construction project in Maine history. At least $10 million comes from taxpayer money.
Officials hope construction inside the building can resume Tuesday.
The high school and technical center are anticipated to be ready for students in September 2018, but the construction is already lagging.