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TUCSON - A fire that forced the temporary evacuation of Utterback Middle School this morning was intentionally set in a bathroom, Tucson Fire officials confirmed in a news release.

At about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, a Tucson Fire truck was dispatched to the school on Tucson's south side; crews found smoke coming from a bathroom and used a fire extinguisher to put out flames inside a wall area where the fire was started, TFD officials stated. Smoke alarms had been activated, and students and faculty had been evacuated.

Garbage had been put into a plumbing access panel and intentionally set, TFD spokesperson Captain Barrett Baker stated in the release. Crews used a thermal imaging camera to determine if there were any other areas inside the wall with flames or heat.

Three TFD crews consisting of 10 firefighters controlled the situation without injuries to firefighters or evacuated students and staff, Capt. Barrett said. Damage is estimated to be about $5,000, and the incident is under investigation.