Authorities are investigating a possible arson that slightly damaged a Sitka playground on Saturday night (7-31-21). But the Crescent Harbor playground remains open to the public while officials investigate.
Dispatchers received a call from a bystander shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday that a piece of plastic equipment had caught fire. A Sitka police officer who was on scene reportedly extinguished the small fire shortly before firefighters arrived at Crescent Harbor.
Sitka Fire Department Engineer Zack Carlson said a burnt pile of clothing underneath the equipment is thought to have been the fire’s origin. It appeared to have been set intentionally and the incident remains under investigation.
Damage was minor; Michael Colliver, with the Public Works Department, said a large rocking raft made of composite plastic had been scorched. It was one of the two units on the playground that is accessible to people with disabilities.
Colliver said it was fortunate responders arrived quickly before the fire had a chance to spread.
The rocking raft and ramp cost around $30,000. Colliver said the city is seeking a cost estimate that’s expected to be several thousand dollars. The playground was built in 2018. It cost around $1 million, largely paid through grants and private donations. An act of arson by teens in 2017 destroyed Juneau’s playground at Twin Lakes. It was a total loss.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 4:15 on 8-2-21 with additional information about the total budget for the Sitka Community Playground project.
