Abandoned school near Firebaugh goes up in flames

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Firefighters are trying to find out who set fire to a school near Firebaugh. It's the second fire there in the last week.

The fire sparked around nine o'clock Sunday night at Oro Loma School, which has been shut down and abandoned for several years. No one was inside when the fire started. The fire consumed a small home next to the school, and burned part of the old school building.

Firefighters say the long grass helped the fire spread. Since the school is shut down, getting water to fight the fire was also an obstacle.

"We ordered some additional water tenders to supply to fight the fire. We also had winds to contend with at the start of the fire," said Vince Bergland, Battalion Chief with Fresno County Fire.

No one was hurt. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but firefighters believe squatters may be to blame.

Investigators are speaking with the Dos Palos School District to have something done about the overgrown weeds surrounding the school.