Delta school’s playground torched
UNDER INVESTIGATION: Neighbour awoke to fire at 4 a.m. and called 911, preventing further damage
The fire that burned down a Delta school playground could have been far more devastating, a neighbour says.
Tracy Schroeder awoke just before 4 a.m. on Wednesday to discover the play structure at Chalmers Elementary School in North Delta engulfed in flames.
The flames — 10 metres high, her husband guessed — were so bright their bedroom seemed bathed in daylight.
The Delta fire department got the fire under control quickly.
“There’s always constant activity out the back there,” she said. “Sometimes it’s just young kids, sometimes it’s a little more escalated.
“That playground is tucked away in the corner. In the nighttime, there’s no view (of it) from anywhere.”
Schroeder is worried about what might have happened if she hadn’t been home to call 911.
“We’re the only ones who see that playground,” she said.
Her neighbour’s property has a large hedge that backs onto the schoolyard. The flames were just steps away.
With the dry conditions, the fire would have spread quickly onto adjoining properties. A major blaze could even spread west to nearby Burns Bog, she noted.
“It’s scary times with the weather,” she said. “This is what scares me, the rest of this dry weather. I’m paranoid about what’s going on at this school.”
Delta police spokeswoman Sharlene Brooks said the dry conditions are a concern.
“Fortunately our citizens were quick to report (the fire), so we were able to respond quickly.”
A man was seen running from the area, Brooks said, but it wasn’t known if he was involved with the fire, which is being investigated as arson.
She said there have been a few reports to police about problems at the school.
Schroeder said there was another arson incident on the school grounds six or seven years ago, when a large garbage bin was set on fire.
Schroeder thinks the playground should be moved west across the grass fields, closer to 112th Street ; it would be easier for police on patrol to observe the structure.
“I don’t think there was really much thought,” she said, referring to the location for the playground.
School district spokeswoman Jennifer Hill said the location of playgrounds at schools is all about safety for students and easy access for staff, parents and the community.
“It’s a priority to keep them away from busy streets,” she said. “We also want to have each playground easily visible by school monitors or staff from windows.”
The cost of either repairing or rebuilding the play structure and grounds isn’t yet known — officials were assessing the damage Wednesday — but the school district would have to pay a $10,000 deductible, she said. Insurance will likely pay for the rest.
Community opinions on the replacement playground will definitely be taken into consideration, she said.
“Our schools are community hubs,” she said, adding they appreciated that neighbours were looking out for the safety of their buildings and grounds.