Playground Torched Leaving Families Asking 'Why Would You Do It?'

DENVER (CBS4) - Arson investigators are looking into two fires along the High Line Canal in the University Hills neighborhood which destroyed a slide at a playground. Several people say they're upset because the playground has been there for years.

"The first thing I thought was, 4th of July, but then I saw it for myself, and it was really sad," said Christie Mochoruk who lives in the neighborhood. "There used to be a spiral orange plastic slide here that's been completely destroyed and removed. And as you can tell the metal is somewhat melted, the paint, I mean the structure is completely destroyed."

Denver firefighters were called to Eisenhower Park on Sunday morning, but the fire was out before firefighters arrived. Arson investigators are looking into the playground scene. Some wood chips making up the playground surface were burned, but a majority of the metal structure was melted.

"He was so sad," Mochoruk said about her son. "I was afraid to tell him, but the truth is we play here all the time and he was going to see it. So he was very sad, trying to figure out why someone would do this, who would do this? Why would you do it?"

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Denver Fire Investigation Unit at 720-337-2800.