A 16-year-old Orange High School sophomore yesterday was arrested and charged with deliberately setting three fires in student lockers at the school this week, Police Director Charles Cobbertt said.

The girl, whose identity was withheld, was expelled from the school district after it was determined she lives in Newark and had misrepresented her residency to school officials, Cobbertt added.

No injuries were reported in the small fires and damage was considered minor.

The fire department responded to the first fires Monday at 1 p.m, and helped teachers extinguish blazes in two lockers on the second floor of the high school at Lincoln Avenue and Clarendon Place.

"On Tuesday, at the same time, about 1 p.m., the fire department received another call and a third fire, also on the second floor and in another locker was discovered," Cobbertt continued.

Fire officials suspected arson in each case and the police, along with the arson task force of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, were notified to investigate, Cobbertt said.

"The school's vice principal, Albert Reinoso, came up with an eyewitness who in turn gave information to the police department's juvenile aid bureau," the police director added.

Detective Lt. Dominick Scarola, along with Officers Ronald Rogers and Anthony Bruno, subsequently arrested the 16-year-old, he said.

When police asked the girl why she set the blazes, Cobbertt quoted her as responding: "I did it just to do it."

The suspect was charged with three counts of arson, he said.