Police say two 13-year-old boys have been referred to Youth Aid after a large fire damaged trees near the sports fields at Waitaki Boys’ High School in Oamaru. The incident occurred last week when flames spread through a treeline close to the school grounds, prompting police to investigate. Both outlets report the fire is being treated as suspicious, with police referring the teens to Youth Aid services.
The reporting indicates the fire occurred near vegetation at the secondary school and was significant enough to be described as “huge” in one account. There is no information in the provided sources about injuries, the extent of damage beyond the treeline and hedging/nearby vegetation, or whether any charges have been laid. The articles also do not specify what evidence led to the youths being referred. The cases are now progressing through Youth Aid, which is typically used for youth justice processes in New Zealand.
