Teen Arrested Following Suspected Arson at Geelong School

A 13-year-old girl has been taken into custody following a destructive fire at Northern Bay P-12 College in Geelong. The incident occurred shortly after midnight on Tuesday and has resulted in significant damage to the school’s infrastructure. Victoria Police confirmed the arrest early on Tuesday morning, stating that the teenager was being questioned in connection with the fire.

The blaze reportedly erupted around 12:15 a.m., affecting an administration building and several classrooms. A spokesperson for Fire Rescue Victoria described the flames as reaching up to 60 meters at their height. The fire was eventually brought under control by approximately 1:40 a.m.; however, firefighting teams remained on site for several hours to ensure the situation was stable.

Due to the extensive damage, the Hendy Street campus of Northern Bay P-12 College was closed on Tuesday. School administrators conveyed that the fire had severely impacted the administration building and areas of the junior school. In communication with the school community, they indicated that “initial investigation points to arson,” suggesting deliberate intent.

The Victorian Education Department has suspended classes at the impacted campus on the advice of emergency services. Further updates on school operations and structural assessments are expected as more information becomes available.

In a related incident, emergency services were also called to a separate fire in Braybrook during the early hours of Tuesday morning. In this case, a vehicle was driven into a gymnasium and set on fire, inflicting heavy damage on the two-story structure. This fire has also been labeled suspicious and is currently under investigation by the police arson squad.