Fire damages playground equipment at Kanata park

Around $10,000 in damage was done to play equipment in Kanata following fires that police say are suspicious. CTV’s Dylan Dyson reports.

Firefighters quickly extinguished a fire at a playground in Kanata last night.

The Ottawa Fire Services says firefighters responded to a call for a fire at Ravenscroft Park on Shirley’s Brook Drive just after 10 p.m.

A photo sent to CTV News Ottawa showed three separate fires burning around the playground equipment in the park.

“We just came around the corner and we saw, like, red light, and we were like, that’s unusual. That looks like fire,” said Victoria Paine.

“And at one point there was like an exploding sound and the flames just jumped even bigger.”

Ottawa Fire Services spokesperson Nick DeFazio tells CTV News Ottawa firefighters quickly established a line and extinguished the fire.

“Whoever set this fire could have used accelerants, but also it’s very dry right now,” DeFazio said. “So, there’s wood play structures as well as the plastics that can burn quite quickly.”

No one was hurt.

Paine said she used to play at the same playground when she was young.

“I know a lot of local kids play here. There’s daycares that come by here and it’s just really sad to see a place for them suddenly up in flames.”

The City of Ottawa says the fires did an estimated $10,000 in damage.

“Staff have inspected the play structure following the fire at Ravenscroft Park in Kanata last night. The site and structure have been cleaned up and determined to be safe for use by residents and their children,” said general manager of Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services Dan Chenier. “A timeline for repairs has not been determined yet as the City is still in the early stages of the planning process.”

The Ottawa Police Service told CTV News Ottawa Thursday afternoon the fire has been “deemed suspicious in nature.”

Investigators with the Arson and Explosion Unit are now investigating. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 613-236-1222, ext. 2202.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Dylan Dyson