A former junior high school called Fred W. Heinold Junior High School located in Cincinnati, Ohio has had a history and penchant of bursting into flames from fire. This first-type campus has had a series of arson incidents and mysterious fires over the course of several years. Much of these arson incidents and mysterious fires occurred during the 20th century. This news article will explain and divulge into details about these arson incidents and mysterious fires.
Some longtime residents may remember that Fred W. Heinold Junior High School was the city's first campus-type school consisting of six separate buildings on one single campus. The school was the first of its kind in the city of Cincinnati.
The first example of a mysterious fire incident occurring at Heinold Junior High School was in 1967. A mysterious fire incident occurred at Heinold Junior High School sometime in 1967. Someone or something set fire to Heinold Junior High School. The exact method as to how this fire ignited is unknown. The total amount of damage done was unknown. However only windows were broken during this mysterious fire incident. News regarding the mysterious fire incident appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer under “Damage to city public schools and overtime pay for security forces protecting them was estimated at about $13,000 by the Cincinnati Board of Education.” .
Cincinnati Enquirer reported on the repair costs to Heinold Junior High School was estimated at about $13,000 dollars by the Cincinnati Board of Education. The cost of replacing broken glass there was estimated to cost $1,500 dollars. All this amount of money was needed for repairs stemming from a from a mysterious fire incident in 1967. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/104426157/)
[Damage to city public schools and overtime pay for security forces protecting them was estimated at about $13,000 by the Cincinnati Board of Education. Most damage occurred at Heinold Junior High School, 2240 Baltimore Ave., Fairmount. Cost of replacing broken glass there was estimated to cost $1,500. In all, 24 schools received some damage. Cincinnati police and firemen were expected to ask City Council for cash reimbursement at a rate of 1½ times regular pay. Their written requests were to be handled through City Manager William C. Wichman's office, who was to make recommendations to council.]
The first example of an arson incident occurring at Heinold Junior High School was on Sunday night of September 1, 1968. Firefighters remained on the scene for nearly 5 hours after the blaze was discovered shortly before 8 PM. The fire had been deliberately set by arsonists. Files containing registration records were destroyed. An undetermined number of windows were broken. At least three separate fires were burning in the building when firefighters arrived. This was the earliest arson case which occurred at Heinold Junior High School.
News regarding the arson appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer under “Heinold Junior High Damaged By Arsonist” on Monday, September 2, 1968. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/100846740/)
“Heavy damage to the office of Heinold Junior High School, 2240 Baltimore Ave., Sunday night was the result of arson, Marshal Charles Bose reported. Firemen remained on the scene for nearly five hours after the blaze was discovered shortly before 8 p. m. Bose said firemen found a number of windows broken and at least three separate fires burning in the building. All had been deliberately set, he said. Files containing registration records were destroyed. It was too early to tell if Wednesday's school opening would be delayed, the officer said.”
The culprits who ignited fire at Heinold Junior High School were caught and arrested just a month later. Three Millvale boys were arrested by Cincinnati Police. Three Millvale boys set Heinold Junior High School on fire in an act of arson and criminal mischief that night.
Three Millvale boys were charged with arson in connection with the September 1, 1968 fire at Heinold Junior High School by Juvenile Court Judge Benjamin S. Schwartz on October 14, 1968. Juvenile Court Judge Benjamin S. Schwartz ordered 13-year-old Millvale juvenile to be referred to the Juvenile Diagnostic Center in Columbus, Ohio for a complete evaluation to determine status. Two other boys years old were released to the custody of their parents. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/100861428, Youth Ordered Examined In Arson Case)
Juvenile Court Judge Benjamin S. Schwartz continued cases against three youths charged with arson in connection with the September 1 fire at Heinold Junior High School, Fair-mount, pending a state mental diagnosis on one of the boys on October 14, 1968. The fire damaged school's main office and affected the communications system. The fire did estimated damage ranging from $35,000 dollars to $50,000 dollars according to a Fire Prevention Bureau spokesman. Damage to the school was estimated at $35,000. (Ref: Cincinnati Enquirer, Youth Ordered Examined In Arson Case)
“Juvenile Court Judge Benjamin S. Schwartz have continued cases against three youths charged with arson in connection with the September 1 fire at Heinold Junior High School, pending a state mental diagnosis on one of the boys. Schwartz ordered a 13-year-old Millvale youth be referred to the Juvenile Diagnostic Center, Columbus, for a complete evaluation to determine his mental status. Juvenile Court officials said the case will be re-tried when a report on the youth is received. Two other boys 15 and 10 years old were released to the custody of their parents, officials said. The fire at Heinold damaged the school's main office and affected the communications system. Early estimates set the loss at $35,000. But a Fire Prevention Bureau spokesman said damage could climb to as high as $50,000.”
“CINCINNATI (AP) - The trials of three Millvale juveniles accused of starting the Sept. I fire at Heinold Junior High School have been continued — for the fourth time—until Friday afternoon. In granting the continuances Wednesday, Juvenile Court Judge Benjamin Schwartz said a list of witnesses was incomplete. Damage to the school was estimated at $35,000.”
(Ref: https://newspaperarchive.com/middletown-journal-oct-10-1968-p-21/)
Continuance was granted during the arson case because of the voluminous testimony and the large number of witnesses in the case. This was the fourth continuance. News about the continuance of the arson case was reported by Cincinnati Enquirer under the caption of “Another Continuance Granted In Arson Case”. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42472441/the-cincinnati-enquirer/)
[Three Millvale youths charged with arson in connection with the $35,000 fire at Heinold Junior High School, September 1, were granted another two-day continuance Wednesday by Juvenile Court Judge Benjamin Schwartz. Court officials said the continuance was due to "Voluminous testimony and the large number of witnesses in the case." It will be heard at 2:30 p. m. Friday. This is the fourth continuance.]
For some strange reason(s), most of these arson incidents and mysterious fires took place much throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Motives for most of these fires were started by mischievous students seeking thrills through acts of illegal criminal activity and arsonists acting out of pure misdirected anger.
Three boys burned along with an unidentified fourth student in a men's washroom at Heinold Junior High School on Monday, April 7, 1975. The three students suffered second degree burns when duplicating fluid burst into flames in a men's washroom. The exact cause of this fire incident was students merely had spilled the liquid on the floor and was possibly ignited by one of the students' cigarettes. The burned students, along with an unidentified fourth who was not injured, were pouring the fluid into milk cartons "to be used later as a fire bomb" outside. Duplicating fluid had been taken from a teacher's locker, retrieved by the teacher, then taken again. Yet school administrators decided not to file charges against any of the students involved. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/100905197/)
The three boys who suffered second degree burns when duplicating fluid burst into flames were T.J. O'Hara, 15; Eugene Thomas, 14; and Don Davis, 16. The unidentified fourth student was not injured. The four students were been trapped by other students who barred the door against their escape so they couldn't get out.
[Three youths burned in a Cincinnati school men's room fire Monday may have been trapped by other students who barred the door against their escape, according to the commander of the fire department's arson squad.' "Apparently three boys in the hall held the door shut so they couldn't get out," said Capt. James Gamm. The three students suffered second degree burns when duplicating fluid burst into flames in a washroom at Heinold Junior High School, 2240 Baltimore Ave. The three, T.J. O'Hara, 15; Eugene Thomas, 14; and Don Davis, 16, are in fair condition at General Hospital. Gamm said it is not yet known what ignited the fluid, although he said one possibility is that one of the students in the hallway threw a lighted match into the washroom. The burned students, along with an unidentified fourth who was not injured, were pouring the fluid into milk cartons "to be used later as a fire bomb" outside, Gamm quoted one of the burned students as telling arson squad investigators. A report issued by the school differs. Frank Fields, a school district official, said school administrators found that the students merely had spilled the liquid on the floor; it was possibly ignited by one of the students' cigarettes, he said. No charges have been filed against any students. Fields said the duplicating fluid had been taken from a teacher's locker, retrieved by the teacher, then taken again. Fields said he will recommend expelling the student who first took the fluid. However, he plans to let the students now in the hospital return to school. Mrs. Virginia Griffin, president of the Cincinnati Board of Education, said she has not yet received the investigation report and would not comment.]
Another example of an arson incident is when two 14 year old boys allegedly forced their way into Heinold Junior High School at 4:55 a.m. on Monday, February 16, 1976. The pair used a screwdriver to force open a window on the west side of the building which ended up setting off an alarm. Cincinnati Police charged two 14 year old boys Sunday with breaking and entering after they allegedly forced their way into Heinold Junior High School later that afternoon. Police said they were not certain the youths would be implicated in the earlier break-in after being questioned. News about the arson incident appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer under “Two 14-Year-Old Boys Facing Charge”. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/100968394/)
[Cincinnati police charged two 14-year-old boys Sunday with breaking and entering after they allegedly forced their way into Heinold Junior High School, 2240 Baltimore Ave., Fairmount, at 4:55 a.m. The youths apparently used a screwdriver to force open a window on the west side of the building, setting off an alarm, police said. Police arrested the pair as they were standing by the window. Nothing was taken, police said.]
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