A female 8-foot python named Nanner has become an unlikely suspect in a central Virginia middle school fire, with officials saying the snake helped start the blaze and her owner arguing that Nanner was actually trying to escape it.

The fire broke out shortly before 1 a.m. ET on Aug. 13 at Forest Middle School in Forest, Virginia. Firefighters arriving at the school found water flowing from the second floor, fire visible inside and smoke coming from windows, according to the Forest Fire Department.

As crews entered a second-floor classroom, they encountered Nanner amid heavy smoke. Firefighters secured the snake, shut down the sprinkler system and extinguished the fire. Eight classrooms sustained water damage, and a tortoise was killed.

The Bedford County Fire Marshal’s Office determined the fire was accidental and said Nanner escaped her enclosure and knocked over a heat fixture, sparking the blaze. “The snake contributed to starting the fire,” the fire marshal told WDBJ-TV. “However, I don’t think there was any maliciousness involved on the snake’s side.”

Teacher disputes officials’ account

Brittany Jacobs, the life science teacher who owns Nanner, says the snake has been wrongly blamed.

In a Facebook post on Aug. 15, Jacobs said all of the snake enclosures were locked when she left school Wednesday afternoon and that the heat fixture near the tortoise had been secured in the same location for about three years.

USA TODAY reached out to the Bedford County Fire Marshal’s Office for additional comment on the investigation and Jacobs’ post but did not immediately receive a response.

Jacobs said hallway surveillance footage showed the fire was already visible through her classroom door about 20 minutes before Nanner was seen leaving the room. She believes the python escaped because of the intense heat.

According to Jacobs, both metal locks on Nanner’s enclosure had been forced off and stretched. She said Nanner’s face was covered in soot that matched the screen of her original enclosure and that the snake’s nose was bruised after she was removed from the school.

Jacobs also said the heat fixture and other lights near Nanner’s enclosure remained in place after the fire.

The Forest Fire Department’s account says firefighters encountered Nanner inside the classroom and moved her to a temporary holding area before returning her to her owner.

Animals were part of Jacobs’ lessons

Jacobs, who has taught for 18 years, said she originally studied biology with plans to become a veterinarian specializing in reptiles. She eventually became a teacher and incorporated animals into her science lessons.

Her classroom included snakes, frogs, turtles, tortoises, fish and other animals. Jacobs said the animals helped students learn about topics including genetics, ecosystems, reproduction and adaptations.

She also said students sometimes visited the classroom to spend time with the animals when they were overwhelmed or having a difficult day.

“I am a firm believer that ALL animals change lives,” Jacobs wrote.

Jacobs said she spent thousands of dollars of her own money caring for the animals and regularly consulted veterinarians and reptile experts. She has since moved all of the animals to her home.

School cleanup post-fire continues

The fire destroyed much of Jacobs’ teaching material accumulated over 18 years. She also said the death of Bowser, the tortoise she had owned for more than eight years, has been especially difficult.

“I am devastated for many reasons right now,” Jacobs wrote. “All of my teaching tools are now gone.”

Bedford County Public Schools Superintendent William Dupere said cleanup crews were working to remove soot and make the damaged classrooms safe. Most classrooms were expected to be ready for students Wednesday, Aug. 19, while the classroom where the fire began could take up to a month to reopen, according to WSET-TV.

The Bedford County Fire Investigator is handling the investigation into what caused the fire.

Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatodayco.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT