Suspicious Fairfield playground fire under investigation

FAIRFIELD, Calif. (KRON) — In frigid temperatures, a play structure in Fairfield went up in flames around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday. The Fairfield Fire Department is calling the early-morning fire suspicious. KRON4 spoke with neighbors who believe it was possibly started by people trying to stay warm.

With melted plastic and stained and charred metal wrapped in caution tape, the Fifth Street playground at Linear Park in Fairfield looks a lot different now than it did before the weekend.

It’s a park 8-year-old Mateo has been visiting with his family since the year he was born.

“Like once a day,” said Mateo.

Unfortunately for Mateo and the rest of the neighborhood, the structure is off-limits indefinitely.
The Fairfield PD daily log shows officers responded to a reported arson.

“When I see they burned it down, I’m just, like, sad,” said Mateo.

The Fairfield Fire Department was first on-scene. A battalion chief said a single engine crew knocked the flames down before they reached any other structures or homes.

A next-door neighbor who spoke off-camera said they suspect unhoused people trying to keep warm in freezing temperatures lit the park on fire and it spread too quickly.

“It’s sad. It’s touched my heart that somebody can do something like that,” said neighbor Barbara Mroz.

The fire department is working with police to track down any surveillance video in the area that may shed light on what happened.

“It affects the kids that come here every day to play, you know, especially kids that live around here. You know? Now, they have no playground to play at,” Mroz said.

In the meantime, neighbors will have to use the structure at the end of the greenbelt.
Police have not shared any information on who may have been involved.

​FAIRFIELD, Calif. (KRON) — In frigid temperatures, a play structure in Fairfield went up in flames around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday. The Fairfield Fire Department is calling the early-morning fire suspicious. KRON4 spoke with neighbors who believe it was possibly started by people trying to stay warm. With melted plastic and stained and charred metal […]