NORTHAMPTON — Police are investigating an early morning fire that burned the playground at Arcanum Field in Florence.

“It’s a significant loss to the city,” Northampton Assistant Fire Chief Jon Davine said. “It’s unfortunate. It finally gets warm out so kids can play on it and now it’s gone.”

As of Monday afternoon, the Fire Department was not calling the fire suspicious, Davine said.

Northampton police and firefighters responded to the playground just before 3 a.m. Monday after a nearby resident called police to report a play structure was on fire, according to police.

Davine said a neighbor saw a glow over the park.

Upon arrival they found that the entire play structure was engulfed in flames, the Northampton Police Department posted on its Facebook page.

Thirteen firefighters from Florence and two engines put out the blaze, Davine said. Crews cleared the scene around 4:45 a.m.

Parks and Recreation Director Ann Marie Moggio said the 20-year-old playground could cost $40,000 to $50,000 to replace, though the city’s insurance should cover the cost.

Around 4 p.m. 10-year-old Jake Bell and his mother, Erica Bell, of Florence, stopped by the park to see the damage for themselves.

“I’m a little shocked to see this,” Erica Bell said. “I’ve never seen anything like this happen … it’s a real shame someone would do this.”

Bell called the park the heart of Florence.

Jake said a friend had called him to tell him about the fire, prompting the two to come out and take a look.

Looking at the burned playground, Jake said he was “kind of mad.”

“I’ve been coming here since I was 5 or 6,” he said. “My cousin, he loved this playground.”

He added that whenever his cousin came to visit, he’d ask to play at the playground even if there was a foot of snow on the ground.

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact Detective Michael Briggs or any member of the Northampton Police Detective Bureau at 587-1100.

Signs posted around the park offer up to a $5,000 reward for information that helps detect or prevent an arson.

Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettenet.com.

]]>