Fight breaks out at Mankato East during early dismissal for bathroom fire, student arrested

A student was arrested yesterday after a fight broke out during an early dismissal from Mankato East because of a fire.

The chain of events began at about 9:15 a.m. when Mankato Public Safety was dispatched to a fire alarm activation at the school.

Staff reported seeing smoke inside a second-story bathroom and sprinklers going off, but the fire was extinguished by the time crews arrived. Mankato Public Safety assisted staff with shutting off the sprinkler system and minor clean-up.

About an hour and a half after the initial call, school administrators dismissed classes due to damages and cleanup.

Police say that during the dismissal, a fight broke out between students in the school parking lot. The school resource officer called for assistance and multiple agencies responded.

One student was arrested for assaulting an officer and was held in custody at the Carver County Juvenile Detention Center, according to police.  Five others were detained for their direct involvement.

No injuries were reported, but traffic on Hoffman Rd was impacted by the incident. Law enforcement remained on the scene for about an hour.

Damages have not yet been estimated, and both the fire and the fight remain under investigation.