Arson fires over the past week severely damaged expensive playground structures at two Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD) campuses, school and fire officials have confirmed. Because of the extent of the damage and state’s school construction review process, it is unlikely that either of these schools — John Sloat Elementary and Caroline Wenzel Elementary — will open with playground structures in the fall, according to an official SCUSD press release.
At around 11:30pm on Wednesday, July 31, the Sacramento Fire Department received a report that the playground structure at John Sloat was on fire. The extent of the damage caused by the blaze requires removal of the entire structure and all the materials under it, according to SCUSD Safe Schools Manager Tracey Lopez. Fire officials have confirmed the fire was deliberately set.
Then on Thursday night, August 1, the playground structure at Caroline Wenzel in the Pocket was set on fire. Although the damage was not as extensive as that of John Sloat, the structure will have to be torn down for safety reasons, Lopez says.
SCUSD’s insurance deductible of $25,000 for each incident will reportedly come out of the general fund budget, further hampering the district’s work to rebound from recessionary budget cuts. SCUSD says playground structures generally cost more than $70,000.
Anyone with information about these fires should call the Sacramento Fire Department Arson Tip Line at (916) 808-8732 or (877) 822-8477. SCUSD is asking the community for help in keeping an eye out for arsonists, vandals and thieves for the remainder of summer break. School resumes on Tuesday, September 3.
For more information, visit www.scusd.edu.
