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College Student Accused of Arson in NJ Dorm

The 18-year-old is free on $10,000 bail and is not permitted to return to the school

Friday, Nov 16, 2012 | Updated 9:31 AM EDT

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College Student Accused of Arson in NJ Dorm

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Authorities have charged a student with arson stemming from a fire in a New Jersey college dormitory.

Firefighters found two toilet paper rolls had burned in a fourth floor bathroom in O'Connor Hall on the College of Saint Elizabeth's Florham Park campus late Wednesday night.

Officials say there was a heavy smoke in the bathroom.

The Morris County Prosecutor's Office charged Mykia White-Johnson of Plainfield with two counts of arson. The 18-year-old is free on $10,000 bail and is not permitted to return to the school. Information an attorney wasn't immediately available.

Prosecutor Robert Bianchi says the situation posed a possible catastrophic impact.

"There are far too many examples of the loss of life that have already occurred at college campuses throughout the United States from the dangers of fires in a similar context," Bianchi said.

In 2000, two students set a fire at Seton Hall University that killed three students and injured 58 others. Both pleaded guilty to third-degree arson in a plea deal.