North Highlands Playground Destroyed By Fire

NORTH HIGHLANDS (CBS13) -– A North Highlands playground is a melted mess after going up in flames overnight in what fire officials are saying was an act of arson.

The playground at Memorial Park near Bainbridge Drive was set on fire at about 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning.

A Twin Rivers Police Department officer first smelled the fire and then spotted the flames.

Firefighters quickly doused the fire and then attempted to collect evidence, but no one reported seeing any suspects.

The park, which is next to an elementary school, is now taped off with yellow caution tape. Witness Ken Swafford was outraged.

"You burnt my park up," he said. "I live across the street and a lot of people play at the park and now we probably won't see too many people over here with their kids."

Swafford said he believes some kind of accelerant was used because the playground went up in flames so quickly.

"I mean it looked like someone had to have poured something on it because one minute
it was pitch black and the next it was flames 75 feet in the air," he said.

No suspects have been identified or arrested.

A North Highlands Parks and Recreation District official said the district may not have the money to replace the play structure but hopes insurance money will cover the cost.

"I don't know what it's going to take to replace this or if it's covered by insurance, but it's going to be bad," the district's Chuck Bernardi said. "It's just a dissapointment, shock."