Upon entering the building, a witness reported that while walking past the building, he noticed smoke in the room. He was concerned and went to obtain help. Another witness called Campus Police. Staff members located a smoking metal file cabinet in the southeast corner of the room near the back door. They removed smouldering paper from the room. The Fire Department responded as well.

While officers were conducting their investigation, a cadet reported an individual who was asking many questions about the fire and who seemed overly curious. After closing the call, officers were responding to a report of a disruptive student in the Library when they received notice that there was another fire on campus.

Officers contacted Dispatch to have Ventura Fire return to campus. They went to Sci-229, where they found 2 small wads of burning paper towels inside a desk drawer. There were no flames but it was very smoky. Officers extinguished the fire and cleared the call.

Approximately 10 minutes later, officers were advised of yet another fire, outside in a cement trash receptacle outside of Sci-211. A cadet extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher. Ventura Fire was still on scene and responded to the scene as well.

Officers received reports of yet 2 more fires in the north end of the Sci-bldg, in trashcans located in the men's and women's restrooms. A witness stated he saw the fire in the men's room, and extinguished it with water. Ventura Fire Department responded to the call, and made sure all fires were extinguished.

A witness stated to police that she had noticed a suspicious person run into the men's room (where a fire had just occurred) and heard him depress the paper towel holder an unusual amount of times. She was curious as to why someone would need so many paper towels; she then observed the suspect standing next to one of the cement trash receptacles with a large wad of paper towels, and stuff them into the trashcan.

A few minutes later smoke began billowing from the receptacle, and the witness was more concerned with reporting the fire than tracking the whereabouts of the suspect. Investigation continues.