Second Teen Arrested in Cowra School Arson Investigation

Police have charged a second teenage suspect, aged 14, in connection with a fire that severely damaged Cowra High School in New South Wales’ Central West. The incident has sparked widespread concern after authorities alleged that a former student deliberately set part of the school ablaze.

The latest arrest follows the earlier detention of a 17-year-old former student, who is accused of carrying out the alleged arson.

Fire Severely Damages School Administration Building

According to investigators, the 17-year-old unlawfully entered his former school on Monday evening before allegedly igniting a fire inside the administration building.

Emergency crews responded shortly after 7:00 p.m., successfully bringing the blaze under control. Although no injuries were reported, the fire caused extensive structural damage to the building.

Authorities estimate the financial loss exceeded $60,000.

Social Media Video Helped Detectives Identify Suspect

Police allege the older teenager recorded footage of the fire and uploaded the video to a social media platform while the building was burning.

Investigators said the online footage significantly assisted the investigation, allowing officers to identify and arrest the suspect within approximately three hours of the incident.

The teenager has also been charged under New South Wales’ “post and boast” legislation, which targets individuals who publish recordings of alleged criminal activity online.

Second Teenager Faces Multiple Criminal Charges

The second suspect, a 14-year-old boy, was arrested outside Cowra High School at around 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday.

Police charged him with:

• Damaging property by fire exceeding $15,000
• Aggravated break and enter

He was refused bail and is scheduled to appear before the Children’s Bail Division Court.

Court Refuses Bail for 17-Year-Old Suspect

The 17-year-old appeared before the Children’s Court, where a judge denied his application for bail.

While the court acknowledged the teenager had experienced a difficult upbringing, the judge concluded that releasing him posed an unacceptable risk to public safety.

He remains in custody as legal proceedings continue.

Authorities Condemn Alleged Arson Attack

Acting Inspector Adam Tonkin described the alleged offense as an extremely dangerous act, emphasizing the serious risks associated with deliberately setting fires.

He also noted that sharing footage of alleged criminal activity online raises additional concerns for investigators.

Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car strongly criticized the incident, describing the destruction as deeply damaging for the local community and the students affected by the closure of the school.

Students Forced Into Remote Learning

As police and forensic teams continued examining the fire scene, Cowra High School remained closed.

Students from the regional community were required to continue their education remotely while authorities assessed the damage and secured the campus.

The investigation into the fire remains ongoing, and police have not ruled out further developments as inquiries continue.