Deerfield Chief: Fire Caused by Children Playing with Lighters

DEERFIELD – A fire which damaged the new playground equipment at Deerfield Elementary School was caused by children playing with a lighter, according to Deerfield Fire Department Chief Brett Holubik.

The children believed to have caused the fire were not injured.

Deerfield firefighters arrived on the scene at 9:29 a.m. They had the blaze under control within 10 minutes and extinguished within 20 minutes. Despite the quick work from the fire department, the damage was done. A new slide and a park bench were total losses, according to Holubik.

“The dollar amount lost in the fire is not known right now. The school is going to give me the amount for that piece of equipment,” Holubik said. “It will be pretty expensive, I imagine, because that whole area will need to be replaced.”

A police report has been filed with the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Department.

The new playground was built with some of the $1 million that the late Leota and Walter McNeil left to the school district.