A fire early Wednesday that caused more than $100,000 damage to a 104-year-old wooden building that houses Central Union Preschool & Kindergarten in Makiki was deliberately set, police said yesterday.

Police said they are investigating the incident as a case of first-degree arson.

Fire Capt. Robert Main last night said the Honolulu Fire Department had not yet determined the cause of the fire, set a damage estimate or determined whether the 4:14 a.m. fire had been started intentionally.

Police, however, classified the case as an arson based on evidence of forced entry and an interior search, indicating a burglary. The fire began in the trash can of a restroom, police said.

The fire gutted three classrooms, an office, store room and the teachers lounge and displaced 48 preschool and kindergarten students. The fire also destroyed most of the school's archives.

The thieves were unable to open a fireproof office safe containing proceeds from the school's recent fair, police said.

Ten fire companies responded to the alarm and had the fire under control at 4:45 a.m. However, as fire investigators sifted through the classroom remains at about 8:30 a.m., the fire reignited in the roof area and three engines were called back to the school.

Though no one was injured, some patients at nearby Kapi'olani Medical Center in rooms facing the church and school had to be moved because of heavy smoke. Witnesses said the fire shot flames as high as a large nearby palm tree.

The school was just starting to raise money for a $10 million rebuilding project. Those plans need to be moved up, school Director Marie Hook told KITV.

"It's pretty devastating. When we saw the trikes and the picture in the paper, you know, you are shocked and incredibly sad," Hook said.

As school officials sifted through the damaged rooms, there were some bright spots. Several Halloween pumpkins were left untouched by the flames, and a classroom's aquarium fish survived the fire.

Miguel Asuncion, a school administrator, said Wednesday that the school has been planning to build a new facility and had just installed new fire detectors and alarms.

"We have renderings for the new school completed," Asuncion said Wednesday. "Positives often come from negatives. ... We were very fortunate that this happened with no children and nobody here. The new fire alarms helped."

Parents yesterday were scrambling to find temporary arrangements for their children. Central Union administrators said the displaced students will likely be placed in other facilities on the Central Union property.

There was no immediate word on when the preschool would be reopened.

A family in Wailupe opened their large home to accommodate some of the children temporarily.