Page One

The Berkeley Unified School District is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information about an arson fire at the Berkeley High School campus that caused $1 million damage Wednesday. 

Asst. Fire Chief David Orth, who announced the reward Friday, said it would go to anyone providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for the fire. 

Orth said a special arson tip telephone number has been established at 510-644-8721, where callers can leave messages regarding Wednesday’s fire in the B Building or any of the other arson fires he said have occurred on the campus this year. That includes the April 13 fire in the English Department’s bookroom, and a small trash can fire late Thursday morning. 

He said security at the high school’s campus is being beefed up with additional security cameras and fire detection equipment, and the installation of digital locks that record the identity of users. 

A meeting with parents is planned for April 24 at 7 p.m. in the Berkeley Community Theater to discuss the fires, the measures that have been taken and the investigation, which is ongoing, Orth said.