Blazing fire ruins Johnston Square Elementary School playground in East Baltimore
BALTIMORE -- Melted plastic, charred paint, and metal were what Johnston Square Elementary School students found at their jungle gym Monday morning after a fire broke out on the playground Sunday afternoon.
Veronica Stevens told WJZ that her son always likes to get to Johnston Square Elementary School early so he can play on the playground before the first bell. But when they arrived Monday morning, the playground was blocked off with caution tape.
"Then we just got this paper saying that yesterday around like 3:40 somebody set it on fire and now recess is canceled for all the kids," said Stevens.
The Baltimore City Fire Department responded to a reported outside fire at the school Sunday afternoon. When firefighters arrived, they found the playground in flames.
Murrell Diggs, who lives nearby, said, "I saw the smoke yesterday I didn't know where it was coming from. At first, it was a little bit of smoke then it got really thick within five minutes."
Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fire, but the charred playground is now a hazard for the kids.
"It's a shame..."
"It's a shame," Diggs said.
Stevens said she and her son are disappointed.
"Because now he can't come to school early and then I know after lunch he's going to be disappointed because he can't go to recess...and that's something all kids like to do after they eat lunch is go outside and run around," Stevens said.
Fires like this have been a problem in Baltimore City in the past. In July of 2023, Baltimore police launched an arson investigation after a string of playground fires throughout the city.
Stevens said this is the only playground within walking distance so she hopes it will reopen soon.
"It's going to take a little minute but they did say that they're going to get it fixed and all the kids will probably be inside until they do," she said.
Right now there's no exact timeline on when the playground will be repaired. The cause of the fire is under investigation.