Playground arson still under investigation

An investigation into the arson fire at Roosevelt Elementary School that destroyed $35,000 worth of playground equipment is still under way. "We followed up on the leads we had, but we haven't come up with anything yet," Fire Marshal David Sumaya said on Thursday. "We are hoping a good Samaritan will come forward with some information."

A group of people were seen at the Davis Street school on June 26 just minutes before a square plot of woodchips in the middle of campus caught fire. The brief blaze, which was put out by firefighters at 2:45 p.m., destroyed a jungle gym, a swing set and a slide.

Hanford Elementary School District Superintendent Paul Terry said the district may be able to replace the equipment around the start of the new school year.

"It's in the hands of our insurance carrier now," Terry said. "They are going to go ahead and have the old equipment removed, since it poses a safety hazard, but when it can be replaced is really up to the insurance."

The equipment that was destroyed was first installed at the school during the 2001-2002 school year.

"I've only been here a couple years, but we've never had vandalism to this scale before," Terry said. "We'd have the occasional graffiti, sometimes a broken window, but nothing to this degree of damage."

Assistant Fire Chief Bill Lynch said soon after the blaze that arson was the only likely cause, as there were not potential ignition factors out on the playground.

"In a case like this, we'll typically leave the file open for seven years, until the statute of limitations runs out," Sumaya said.

The school was closed at the time of the fire.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Hanford Police Department at 585-2540.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2425.

(July 2, 2009)