INDIANAPOLIS – A preschool playground caught fire Tuesday afternoon on the city’s northeast side.
The playground at Francis Bellamy Preschool Center 102, within the Indianapolis Public Schools district, caught fire around 1:20 p.m. in the 9500 block of E. 36th Place.
Indianapolis and Lawrence firefighters arrived on scene about five minutes later, evacuated 50 students ages 4 and 5 outside of the building and were able to put the fire out about 15 minutes later.
"Thank God the school didn't catch on fire, but this this is crazy. This is very dangerous," said Micah White, whose children go to the playground often. "Yeah, it looks bad."
Firefighters said a small amount of smoke entered the building through vents and the gym door, but damage to the playground was estimated at $60,000.
Detectives said the fire’s cause is under investigation.
