Arson Destroys "Pirate Ship" Outside a Bucks School

KINTNERSVILLE, Pa. (CBS) -- Pennsylvania state police in Bucks County are looking for an arsonist whom they say set a blaze early this morning that destroyed a mascot pirate ship outside a high school.

The ship (below right) had been a fixture just outside the football field at Palisades High School in Nockamixon Township for the last seven years.  It was the work of local contractor Scott Carr, who solicited donations from the community and then built and maintained the two-level ship.

Palisades School District spokeswoman Donna Holmes says the students were heartbroken when they saw the ruins.

"Definitely sort of grieving, and geez, who would do something like this?" she wondered aloud.  "We have a very close-knit community. I just can't imagine that this sort of vandalism would happen here in Kintnersville."

Students frequently stood on the decks during games.

She says it's likely the school's video surveillance cameras captured the incident on tape, which has now been turned over to the police.

Reported by Brad Segall, KYW Newsradio 1060.