Centralia Police and Fire are investigating a fire that apparently was set outside the back door of the Centralia Area Historical Museum at 240 South Locust Street early Friday night.
Centralia Fire Department Captain Blake Perez says the fire was quickly put out.
“After talking to the museum curator, the materials from the dumpster and placed on the back of the loading dock and intentionally set on fire. The fire was stopped by the loading dock door. We were able to keep damage to a minimum and the on-duty staff personnel handled it. The investigation is ongoing.”
Perez says a 2 by 2-inch hole was burned through the door, with the fire center in the wooden core of the metal door.
Museum Director Mike Middleton says the damage was minimal.
“Our high school room is where we have the pictures of the different classes. They were brought over from the high school when they no longer needed them. The old ones used to hang in “A” building, but when they moved the high school they didn’t hang them anymore. These were just class pictures. Some were able to be saved, but others got damaged by water. That is all that is back in there.”
Middleton says he never thought he would face a problem like this.
“It appears to me to have been set. I’m going to board it up and see if I can air out the museum.”
The smoke was initially spotted by a passerby around six Friday night. There was no lasting smoke damage.
Centralia Firemen respond to fire apparently set in trash near door of History Museum. Photo by Tim Ferguson.
