Suspect admits to starting Escambia High School blaze

PENSACOLA, Fla. (WALA) - Fire broke out at Escambia High School early Wednesday morning, and Escambia County Sheriff's Office believes it has at least one of the suspects responsible for the fire behind bars, 21-year-old Daniel Quattlebaum.

After Quattlebaum allegedly set fire to the school, deputies said he called their office admitting what he'd done.

Deputies said they were able to confirm that Quattlebaum was inside the school through the use of surveillance video. They said he broke a window to get inside before setting fire to a computer room.

"I just saw a lot of smoke, so I thought, 'the school might be on fire," said Escambia High student Dnakis Jones.  "So I walked up there and I saw a lot of fire trucks, and it was just smoked out, and police cars had the streets blocked off."

For 35 years, Geraldine Hatcher has lived just down the street from Escambia High School. 

"I'm glad it didn't spread," Hatcher said.  "It was very possible that it could spread over here, so I'm thankful that it didn't. It's frightening, it's very frightening to think that something like that could happen so close to where we live."

Authorities on scene said Quattlebaum confessed to being on drugs at the time of the vandalism.

He's behind bars, facing multiple charges, on a bond of more than $112,000

But if you ask Hatcher, the long-term toll this could take on the school might be the biggest crime of all.

"The schools just don't have the money to replace all of that. That's going to probably cut back on some of their things that they offer the children," Hatcher said.