Fire at Rush School
was no accident

The Philadelphia Fire Department has determined that an early-morning fire Sunday at Benjamin Rush Middle School was intentionally set.
At 1:48 a.m., firefighters responded to a blaze on the first floor of the school at 11081 Knights Road. Engine 22, at 3270 Comly Road, was the first on the scene. The fire was under control by 3 a.m.
The blaze originated in the northeast corner of the first floor of the building near a pile of old computers and other debris, according to executive chief Daniel Williams, a fire department spokesman.
"It caused moderate to heavy damage," he said.
The fire marshal determined that the cause was incendiary or intentional, but has no suspects or motive for the fire. No one was seen in or near the school at the time. Benjamin Rush is currently undergoing renovation by the School District of Philadelphia to become a Creative and Performing Arts High School. Former students now go to class at the nearby Shallcross Day School, which formerly housed a disciplinary program for problem students.
The CAPA project was to be completed by the September 2008-09 school year, but it has met delays. The Times was unable to determine whether project construction was underway at the time of the fire.
The school district did not return calls seeking comment on whether the fire will impede the timeline for construction. ••