Nov. 21--A 13-year-old girl was arrested Monday on charges that she started a fire in a Eustis Middle School bathroom by pouring gasoline on the floor, according to Lake County Sheriff's Office.
The Eustis girl was booked into the Lake County Jail without bond and faces a felony charge of arson to an occupied structure, according to an arrest report.
Firefighters rushed to the school at about 1:22 p.m. after receiving a call there was a fire in the bathroom of the girls locker room. By the time emergency crews arrived, the fire had been extinguished, but three stalls and parts of the toilets were burned, authorities said.
A school coach told investigators the teen girl was seen walking out of the restroom with her shoe on fire and holding a lighter, according to the report.
The teen told investigators she started the fire by pouring gasoline on the floor, according to reports. Part of her hair also was burned.
"She could not explain why she did this," Deputy Sheriff William Crotty wrote in his report.
School officials said about 56 students and a teacher were in the nearby school gym at the time of the fire.
The state's Department of Juvenile Justice has been notified of the girl's arrest.
