Playground equipment at Forest Primary School burns July 23. (Photos courtesy of North Olmsted Police Department)

‘Suspicious’ fire destroys playground
By Jeff Gallatin
North Olmsted
Published Aug. 1, 2007

City safety officials are investigating a “suspicious” fire which destroyed the playground equipment at Forest Primary School the evening of July 23 and will likely leave the school without the outdoor play facilities when classes start.

School officials said because it comes so close to the start of school in August, it’s unlikely the district will be able to get new equipment in place by the time classes start. The school has students from kindergarten through the third grade.

Lt. Mike Kilbane of the North Olmsted City Police said officers are following up leads on what could have caused the fire.

“It’s definitely classified as a suspicious fire,” Kilbane said. “We have some witnesses who saw people around the area shortly before the fire took place so we’re looking into those reports.”

Kilbane said he and Patrolman Dan Barrett initially saw the fire at about 7:30 p.m., along with several citizens who live near the school on Tudor Drive.

“We were on a traffic stop at Ranchview and Lorain when I saw a plume of smoke going up in the air,” Kilbane said. “I looked at Dan and said ‘That can’t be anything good,’ called dispatch and headed over there with him. About the same time, several people near there also called in to let us know about it.”

Smoke was clearly visible some distance away and could be seen over the top of the new Fifth Third Bank on Lorain Road, Kilbane said, noting it was emanating from the school area that is located at 28963 Tudor Drive, in the back of the bank and Lorain Road area. Kilbane said the police and city firefighters got there quickly, but found they couldn’t do a lot.

“It was already pretty bad,” he said.

Capt. Greg Gettens of the North Olmsted Fire Department said the fire moved quickly through the playground equipment.

The remains of the playground facility at Forest Primary School.

“It was fully involved when we got there,” Gettens said. “The equipment caught fire pretty quickly.”

Safety workers contained the fire to the playground area, he said.

“It wasn’t able to spread out and get near the school or anything nearby,” Gettens said.

Kilbane said it’s disappointing that someone apparently decided to go after school facilities.

“You wonder what gets into some people’s heads to do things like this,” Kilbane said.

Vera Brewer, communications manager for the North Olmsted City Schools, said the timing is bad for the schools with classes due to start in a few weeks.

“Unfortunately, because its so close to the start of the school year, it’s unlikely we’ll be able to get new equipment in time for the start of school,” she said.

District Treasurer Robert Matson said the loss is covered by insurance and a claim for the equipment will be submitted. Matson said they do not have a firm dollar figure for replacement at this time.

Brewer said the equipment was installed in 1995 after the Forest PTA raised the funds for the facilities.

“It took them several years to raise the money,” Brewer said. “It’s a shame something like this has to happen.”

Brewer said there also had been playground fires at the school in 1995 and 1996.

Top, North Olmsted firefighters hose down a suspicious fire in the Forest School playground the evening of July 23.