Crime & Safety

Vandals Burn Lakewood Falls Playground Equipment

Suspects reportedly attempted to start a second fire at a nearby school.

Two boys burned playground equipment at Lakewood Falls Elementary School, and attempted to do the same at nearby Creekside Elementary, according to the district.

District 202 Community Relations Director Tom Hernandez said he received a call from Will County Sheriff's police asking him to come to Lakewood Falls elementary, 14050 S. Budler Rd., at about 8 p.m. Saturday.

Deputies told Hernandez that two middle school-aged boys were reportedly seen setting fire to the jungle gym on the school playground at about 7:30 p.m., he said.

Hernandez said other kids who witnessed the incident called out to the boys, who then ran across the street to Creekside Elementary and attempted to use refuse from the dumpster to set another fire.

Only paper burned at the Creekside playground, leaving the equipment undamaged, Hernandez said.

The situation was worse at Lakewood Falls.

"The slide is melted," Hernandez said. "It's a puddle of goo."

School district staff placed caution tape around the jungle gym to restrict access to the ruined equipment. A maintenance employee was at the school Sunday morning removing charred debris from the site.

The Will County Sheriff's Department did not immediately return a call from Patch on Sunday morning.


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