Police: Colorado High Schooler Set Himself On Fire

Story by the Associated Press; curated by Oliver Darcy.

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WESTMINSTER, Colo. (AP) — A student was injured after deliberately setting himself on fire Monday in the cafeteria of suburban Denver high school, causing officials to cancel classes at the school for the day.

Westminster Police Department spokeswoman Cheri Spottke said she didn't know if the student made any threats or statements before starting himself on fire at about 7:15 a.m. at Standley Lake High School in Westminster, northwest of Denver. He was taken to a hospital with unknown injuries.

A Google street view of Standley Lake High School, where police say a student set himself ablaze Monday. (Image source: Google)

Spottke said a cafeteria worker also suffered a minor cut while trying to put out the blaze. She didn't know how the student set the fire.

The fire was contained to the cafeteria and was put out by an adult with a fire extinguisher, Spottke said. There also was extensive smoke in the building.

[sharequote align="center"]"Our focus now is making sure the kids are safe."[/sharequote]

Jefferson County Public Schools spokeswoman Lynn Setzer says Standley Lake High has been closed for the day and students were sent home. She said she didn't know if students were in class when the fire was reported.

No additional details about the injured student were released.

"Our focus now is making sure the kids are safe," Spottke said.

Setzer said students without cars were being taken by buses to a local middle school, where they could be picked up by their parents.