By TOMMY FLETCHER and CAYLA HARRIS

CHS administration is in search of the student or students who lit a poster on fire this morning outside of Room 220, Principal James Gleason confirmed.

Technology teacher Maryanne Rodriguez, who teaches in Room 220, said she extinguished the fire. Rodriguez said several students came into her second period class to alert her of the fire.

Gleason said the drill was scheduled and unrelated to the incident.

“I put out the fire. It did take two feet and multiple stomps, but it wasn’t a big fire,” Rodriguez said.

Shortly after the incident, at least three Wall Township police officers and one fire department officer responded and investigated at CHS, eyewitnesses and involved students said.

At the start of lunch, Gleason called students and faculty to the cafeteria to address the situation.

“It’s pretty serious, folks, and it put a lot of people at risk. I don’t understand what would foster the thought of actually lighting something on fire inside the school,” Gleason said during the lunchtime announcement.

Eyewitnesses in nearby classrooms saw several students enter the main office during second period. Three students involved confirmed they were questioned by Gleason and, in one case, officers on-scene, but the investigation is ongoing. It is still unknown who lit the fire.

Gleason asked students and staff to come forward with any information they have.

“I do want the person that did it. And to say that people don’t know what’s going on in this school – I don’t believe it,” Gleason said.

This story was corrected from its original version that appeared on May 4, 2015. Students who noticed the fire were from Maryanne Rodriguez’s second period class and not her first period class.