St. Cloud police say student, 9, responsible for elementary school fire

A 9-year-old boy caused millions of dollars in damage when he started a fire at a central Minnesota elementary school, police say.

The fire happened just before 9 a.m. on March 31 inside a bathroom at Westwood Elementary School in St. Cloud, according to the city's fire department.

The St. Cloud Area School District told WCCO the fire caused about $2 million in damage.

Under Minnesota state law, a child under the age of 10 cannot be prosecuted for a criminal offense in juvenile court, so police say the case will be forwarded to the Stearns County Attorney's Office "for review and consideration of alternative courses of action."  

Students transitioned to e-learning due to "air quality concerns and particulate contamination" due to the fire, the district said. As of Wednesday, students were still learning remotely.

Note: The video above originally aired on April 1, 2026.