John Gibbs
/ photo: Baldwinsville Police
BALDWINSVILLE -- A Baldwinsville student has been arrested and is accused of arson after a fire closed the high school Thursday morning.
According to Baldwinsville Police, just after 9:30 a.m. fire and police personnel resonded to C.W. Baker High School on Oneida Street for a report of a fire in the boys' locker room. The school was evacuated while firefighters put out the fire, which was limited to a small area of the locker room. All students and staff were dismissed and sent home for the remainder of the day, and no injuries were reported. A student initially reported that a locker was on fire, and several students were questioned about the incident.
After an investigation, police say they determined that a can of body spray had been rigged to continue to spray in the locker room, filling the room with fumes. Police have arrested 17-year-old John S. Gibbs III of Chaucer Circle in Baldwinsville on charges of arson, criminal mischief, and reckless endangerment. Police accuse Gibbs of intentionally igniting the spray fumes, setting fire to the locker room and causing $10,000 worth of damage.
Gibbs was arraigned Thursday afternoon in Baldwinsville Village Court and released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to reappear in court on Wednesday, May 25.
The district says the Baker High School jazz concert and all varsity and junior varsity practices were canceled for Thursday. All varsity, JV, and modified games were played as scheduled, and modified practices went on as scheduled.
Classes were expected to resume at the high school on Friday.
