Student charged with setting fire in middle school bathroom in Meriden

A seventh-grade student was arrested in connection with a fire at Washington Middle School in Meriden on Monday.

Firefighters responded to the school on North Broad Street around 11:45 a.m. on Monday and found someone had set fire to paper towels in a second-floor girls bathroom.

There was a heavy smoke condition in that area of the school, according to police.

The building was evacuated as firefighters put out the fire.

Three school employees were taken to the hospital to be treated for exposure to the smoke. A fourth employee was evaluated at the school but declined to be taken to the hospital, police said.

Police reviewed video from the area near the bathroom and interviewed a witness and were able to identify a seventh-grade student as a suspect.

The student was arrested and charged with first-degree arson, reckless burning, first-degree criminal mischief, and second-degree breach of peace. Police applied for and were granted an order to detain due to the seriousness of the charges and the student was taken to the Hartford Detention Center.