Fire breaks hearts

Children express feelings through writing and drawing I’m really devastated that someone can do that.

It was a day of mourning for Strathmore Primary School students who arrived to find their playground was destroyed by a fire.

Tokoroa firefighters were called to school at 1.10am on Thursday to find the playground ablaze. Built of wood and plastic, fire had spread through the modular structure, destroying slides, swings and tunnels, Tokoroa chief fire officer Dave Morris said.

The damage to the new section of playground stretched about 10m by 5m and encompassed the rubber matting base.

Morris said firefighters spent about 15 minutes getting the fire under control before calling in a Fire Safety Officer from Taupo.

They stayed onsite for another two hours dampening down hotspots.

‘‘We believe there is evidence of it being suspicious and an accelerant being used,’’ Morris said.

No one was seen at the school grounds, but police have been notified and are investigating.

School principal Murray Kendrick said the junior school pupils discovered the remains themselves.

‘‘The kids were pretty angry, [they said] ‘ who would do this to our playground?’.’’

Children had the chance to draw pictures and express their feelings about the playground through writing.

Kendrick also struggled coming to terms with the event.

‘‘ I’m really devastated that someone can do that.’’

The popular playground is one of three at the school and was made for junior students.

He said the structure will have to be completely replaced.

‘‘There was a blue slide but all you can see now is a couple of blue melted shapes where it was. I have a suspicion it is probably worth about $5000-$10,000.’’

There had been a spate of deliberately lit fires around Tokoroa lately, Morris said.

‘‘They need to find them before someone really gets hurt.’’

A police investigator had visited the school and the area was cordoned off.