Police: Boys started playground fire in Waterloo
WATERLOO, Ind. (WANE) – Police say two boys are responsible for a fire that left a Waterloo play ground seriously damaged on Sunday.
The Waterloo Fire Department was called to Francis Thomson Memorial Park around 5 p.m. on Sunday. The park is near downtown Waterloo. Officials said it took about an hour to get the fire under control because of high winds.
No one was hurt in the fire, but there was a lot of damage to the wooden play structure. On Sunday night, firefighters said they were investigating the fire as arson.
On Monday, Waterloo Town Marshal Jay Oberholtzer said they had determined that the fire was started by two boys, an 11-year-old and a 12-year old. Oberholtzer said the two started a fire in a pit made up of recycled tire material. They put some leaves in the pit and set them on fire. The shredded tire material then caught fire and it quickly got out of control. The two boys, who were scared, ran off. A witness saw one of the boys and was able to identify him to police. The boys have been released to their parents.
The case involving the two is being forwarded to the DeKalb County Juvenile Court, according to WISH-TV sister station WANE news.