Local sports reporters and scorekeepers will have to find another vantage point to watch the Slidell High football game against Salmen High this week after two Slidell men allegedly set fire to the Slidell High press box at the stadium early Monday morning.

St. Tammany Fire Services District 1 firefighters responded to a fire at Slidell High School at 2:30 a.m. Monday. When they got to the scene, they found the press box at the top of the stadium seats fully engulfed in flames, said Fire Prevention Chief Neil Ricca. It took 18 firefighters about 15 minutes to extinguish the fire.

“This was definitely an arson fire,” Ricca said. He said the arsonists used paper to start the blaze.

This is all that remains of the press box at the Slidell High stadium after two Slidell men allegedly set it on fire early Monday morning. (Staff Photos by Chris Kinkaid)

Slidell police spokesman Capt. Kevin Foltz said police have arrested two people in connection with the fire. Michael D. West, 20, 112 Wellington Lane, and Dylan Farmer, 18, 1324 Greenlawn St. Each has been charged with one count of simple arson.

The press box is totally gutted from the fire, Ricca said. Slidell High Athletic Director George Herdliska agreed.

“Everything is ruined, most importantly the sound system,” Herdliska said.

Slidell police and fire investigators began an investigation shortly after the fire was put out. Police talked with the person who called 911 to report the fire. The witness said he saw two subjects park a white Chevrolet pickup truck near the school and enter school grounds.

Slidell High assistant principal Wayne Grubb said the suspects probably got in through a fence on Ninth Street that had been damaged several weeks ago.

The witness said after the suspects disappeared onto school grounds, he heard a loud bang. When he came out of his house to investigate, he saw the press box on fire and called 911.

During their investigation, police found evidence at the scene that led them to a convenience store, according to Foltz. Police were able to use the evidence to get a credit card receipt belonging to West. The store clerk told police West had been in a white Chevrolet pickup truck.

Police went to West’s home, and during questioning, he admitted to setting the fire. At first, he told police he just went into the press box to cause some damage to the interior. He began lighting pieces of paper, the fire got out of control, and he and Farmer fled the scene. West did not say why he started the fire, Foltz said. However, West did tell police where Farmer was located, and police arrested Farmer at his workplace at 3 p.m. Monday.

Foltz said both suspects have been cooperative, and Farmer told police he set the fire because, “I was drunk and not in any position to do anything.”

West is a 2007 graduate of Slidell High School. Farmer told Foltz he is a dropout from Pontchatoula High School.

As for the stadium, Grubb said engineers will check its structural integrity to make sure it is safe for spectators for the game against Salmen High School.

Slidell High principal William Percy said the stadium will be ready for the game. He estimated that besides the gutted press box, about 300 seats buckled from the heat of the fire.

“It’s pretty frustrating. We’re working hard to prepare for the Salmen game,” Percy said.

He said the press box will be taken down and fenced off for safety, and repair of some of the bleachers will be started.

“We’re working on getting help on some type of temporary seating system until we can replace that press box,” Percy said. “We did have maybe four rows of aluminum bleachers right under the press box that just buckled. We can’t use them, so they have to be replaced.”

Grubb a former football coach at Slidell High, has been at the school since 1980. He said he’s never seen anything like this happen at Slidell High.

The game between SHS and Salmen is still scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday.

West and Farmer are currently being held in the St. Tammany Parish Jail. West has a $20,000 bond, and Farmer still had to appear for a bond hearing by press time.