Teacher charged with arson in school fire

A 47-year-old teacher at the 100 Academy of Excellence was arrested Wednesday and faces two felony counts of arson in a fire started at the North Las Vegas charter school, authorities said.

North Las Vegas police spokeswoman Chrissie Coon confirmed that teacher Lillian Marino had been arrested. Marino was booked into the North Las Vegas Detention Center on $40,000 bail, according to jail records.

Capt. Cedric Williams, a spokesman for the North Las Vegas Fire Department, said the teacher was arrested after an investigation determined she was a suspect.

Firefighters were called to the school at 11:27 a.m. and arrived on scene four minutes later, the department said. School faculty had already put out the fire, which was contained to a copier room.

Williams said Wednesday that he did not know a motive or the means used to start the fire. He said the investigation is ongoing. Damages were not significant and no injuries were reported.

According to the school's website, Marino is a special education teacher.

The 100 Academy of Excellence is at 2341 Comstock Drive, near Martin Luther King Boulevard and Carey Avenue. Charter schools receive state funding and operate as independent public schools.