Pocatello Police Department file photo stock image

POCATELLO — It didn't take police long to arrest two teenage boys on arson charges after dumpsters were set on fire in downtown Pocatello early Saturday morning.

The suspects — a 14-year-old and a 16-year-old — are being held at a local juvenile detention facility for felony arson after dumpsters were set on fire at the Pocatello High School seminary building on West Clark Street and at Old Town Embroidery on South Hayes Avenue between 1:10 a.m. and 1:35 a.m. Saturday, Pocatello police said.

Officers spotted the fires within minutes, got a description of the suspects and arrested the boys around 1:50 a.m. on South Hayes Avenue near West Whitman Street.

The boys' names are not being released because they are juveniles. Both are Pocatello residents, authorities said.

The Pocatello Fire Department responded and quickly extinguished the dumpster fires.

Police said the boys started the blazes by lighting trash on fire and throwing it into the dumpsters.

The fires stayed confined to the dumpsters and did not spread to any adjacent structures, police said.

Recommended for you

Welcome to the discussion!

The Idaho State Journal invites you to take part in the community conversation. But those who don't play nice may be uninvited.

Comments that are:

  • off topic
  • defamatory
  • libelous
  • obscene
  • racist
  • abusive
  • threatening
  • an invasion of privacy (doxxing)
  • profane (including attempts to misspell profanity in order to get around the profanity filter)

will be deleted. Repeat offenders will lose commenting privileges.

Comments are opinions of the author only, and do not reflect the opinions or views of Idaho State Journal.