Just hours after firefighters extinguish the fifth blaze in 12 months at the abandoned school, crews were called back for the sixth suspicious fire.

Get our free mobile app

It seems someone for some persons wants to see the building that once housed Southwestern Junior High School gone forever. At this point, it almost would seem comical if it weren't for the waste of resources for Battle Creek Firefighters and the city.

Less than nine hours after firefighters extinguished a suspicious blaze at the abandoned Southwestern Junior High School, crews were called back for another suspicious fire. Firefighters responded to another fire at about 11:30 p.m. Thursday, March 3, 2022, according to a release.

First crews arrived to find smoke coming from the 3rd floor of the east end of the building. Firefighters immediately began extinguishing efforts on a room located on the 3rd floor that was found ablaze. The fire was brought under control within 20 minutes.

Damage from the fire was isolated to one room. The fire remains under investigation by the Battle Creek Fire Marshall and appears suspicious, as each of the previous fires was deemed.

Timeline of Fires at the vacant Southwestern Junior High School

• April 22, 2021: Battle Creek firefighters responded to the former Southwestern Junior High on South Washington Avenue shortly after 2:30 a.m. on April 22nd. The fire was located on the second floor of the three-story building and was later identified as the band room.
• April 23, 2021: The Battle Creek Fire Department was called back to the vacant school after flames were reignited.
• July 11, 2021: The building was found on fire. Two people were brought in for questioning but no charges were issued.
• December 5, 2021: Classroom found ablaze
• March 3, 2022: Firefighters found the stage of the auditorium on fire.
• March 4, 2022: A room on the third floor

The vacant property appears to still be owned by Battle Creek Public Schools.

Anyone with information on this or the other suspicious fires is asked to contact the Battle Creek Fire Department at 269-966-3519.

Take a closer look at the school by scrolling down.