Fire Strikes Playground at South Row School
Area parents and children remain in shock at the aftermath of the blaze while Fire Department officials have begun an investigation into its cause.
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A large portion of playground equipment at South Row Elementary School has been transformed into a twisted hulk of charred metal and plastic following a fire late Tuesday afternoon.
While children quickly returned to other portions of the playground and the adjacent basketball courts a few hundred feet away Tuesday, the burnt playground equipment lies unusable, with two large slides now gone and other portions burnt beyond recognition.
Chelmsford Fire Department officials have begun the process of an investigation into the origins of the blaze.
Chelmsford Assistant Fire Chief Gary Ryan has not yet made any determination into the cause of the fire, or whether it can be ruled as arson, although he was certain of the fire's emotional impact looking at equipment that his children once played on.
“(It would be) pretty brazen, given the fact that it happened during the day while children were in the area,” said Ryan. “All we can ask now is for people to remain vigilant, but this is truly unfortunate.”
Ryan also noted that this was the worst fire safety incident at a school since port-a-potties were set on fire at the Harrington School and trouble with a boiler last winter at the Parker Middle School.
Devastated
With the playground equipment reaching the end of its usability, a committee within the South Row Parent Teacher Organization fundraised for new equipment earlier in the summer.
Like Ryan, the committee looked on with shock after the fire was extinguished, with the fundraising efforts taking a back seat for the time being.
“I’m devastated and the kids feel devastated; it’s just an awful smell,” said PTO Playground Committee Chairwoman Danielle Evans. “It will hopefully bring greater knowledge about the playground, but whatever knowledge was gained, this was far too much of a price to be paid for it.”
According to 10-year-old Carol Fish of Janet Road, at first it appeared that the school itself was on fire.
She ran toward the school to investigate, and upon coming within sight of the fire, she ran back home in fear. Eventually, she asked her grandmother if she could return to the school and see if everything was OK.
“There was a lot of smoke; it almost seemed like a house was on fire looking at it from far away,” said Fish.
Fish, who graduated from South Row earlier in the year, also said that she and her friends had seen cigarette butts and lighters in the area as recently as April.
Anyone with information on the fire is urged to immediately contact the Fire Department, the Police Department and the Chelmsford Public School Department.
In This article
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South Row Elementary School
250 Boston Rd, Chelmsford, MA -
Chelmsford Fire Department
9 North Rd, Chelmsford, MA -
Harrington Elementary School
120 Richardson Rd, North Chelmsford, MA -
Chelmsford Police Department
2 Olde North Rd, Chelmsford, MA -
Parker Middle School
75 Graniteville Rd, Chelmsford, MA
Danielle B. Evans
10:59 pm on Tuesday, July 19, 2011
There is a playground fund set up at the Northern Bank & Trust, Littleton Rd, Chelmsford-( next to the Java Room and Bertuccis). Next to the Java Room. Checks can be made out to South Row PTO Playground Fund and sent directly there. This fund was set-up earlier this summer to raise funds for a new playground. We are also having a walk-a-thon at South Row on September 25th.
Chris Burlow
4:50 pm on Thursday, July 21, 2011
Thank you Danielle for letting us know, and thanks for your hard work. What makes this town great is people like you volunteering countless hours to make our town a better place to live.
Cathy Ribeck
9:13 am on Wednesday, July 20, 2011
I recently purchased a long standing business in town. It is now known as Rufina's. We are located at 170 Concord Rd. just around the corner from the school. Last year while working there we did a fundraiser with the South Row school to help raise money for the school it was a very successful evening. I would be more than happy to speak with someone from the school to help with another similar event at Rufina's to help rebuild the playground. Please contact me (Cathy) at (978) 256-1250.
Phil stanway
1:56 pm on Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Welcome to town and thank you! If you run an event Joanne and I will attend.
Paula Parks
11:33 am on Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Danielle,
Could you please provide the address for the Northern Bank, I am sending out to friends and family for contributions. Thanks Paula So. Row Parent
Vivian Merrill
11:39 am on Wednesday, July 20, 2011
As bad as this is, at least no one was hurt, and it wasn't the building. I remember hearing stories that kids used to party on the roof of the school, because part of it was close to the ground and it was easy to climb. What a crazy summer this has been!
Cathy Poisson
11:43 am on Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Donations can be sent to Northern Bank & Trust, c/o South Row PTO Playground Fund, 14 Littleton Rd, Chelmsford,MA 01824. - Thank you so much for your support-Cathy Poisson, PTO Co-President
Tyler Jozefowicz
10:17 am on Thursday, July 21, 2011
The playground part not affected was built by South Row PTO about 15 years ago @ 40K. We hired a " supervisor" to direct the work together with volunteers to avoid paying a construction crew to assemble. I personaly wish Chelmsford had a Parks & Recreation Dept., like many towns do. You can't even get the trash barrels emptied out there.
Lynn Havener
10:48 am on Sunday, July 24, 2011
Please, let's focus on the South Row playground and the children of Chelmsford instead of bringing town politics into the discussion. This playground is used by students during the school day as well as children townwide on evenings and weekends because of its proximity to the town soccer fields, basketball and tennis courts. Each school playground is funded by their school's PTO and not the school department. The South Row parents will surely be there for work days to rebuild but we need funds! Thank you to Rufina's for their offer of a fundraising event. If the playground committe has not already done so, you should contact Bertuccis, Papa Ginos, Applebees and Sals for similar fundraisers. It should also be noted that the school PTOs are a non-profit 501c3 organization and donations are tax deductible.
Phil stanway
9:14 pm on Sunday, July 24, 2011
thanks go out to Ken Dews who hauled away the big brush pile at South Row.
Michaella Weinbeck
4:05 pm on Monday, May 6, 2013
Hi. I'm Michaella and I was in this 2 years ago. I had told Andrew Silvia that I had found the ciggarettes on the ground but she said that it was Carol. I am not trying to complain, I am just saying that that was false. Thanks. (I am not at all mad or angry about it, I am just saying it because I forgot to say it 2 years ago when this was posted)