Firefighters tackle ‘deliberate’ blaze at new children’s play fort in Cambridge

Firefighters said a blaze at a wooden fort in a recently revamped children’s playground in Cambridge was started deliberately.

They were called to the fire at the Pulley Play Area in Jedburgh Close at King’s Hedges at 6.39pm on Sunday, 29 September.

The park was only opened in December last year after a £165,000 refurbishment that included a 20-metre zip line, inclusive roundabout, trampoline and wooden play castle along with a swing unit, bank slide, and rope swing.

A Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “Firefighters arrived to find a fire involving a wooden structure in the Pulley Play Area. Wearing breathing apparatus they extinguished the fire using a hose reel and returned to their station by 9.30pm. The cause of the fire was deliberate.”

Cambridge City Council said it was “aware of a fire on Sunday evening (Sunday 29 September) at King’s Hedges Recreation Ground (the ‘Pulley’ play area), that has resulted in serious damage to the castle play unit which was newly installed earlier this year as part of an improvement programme for the playground, and which formed a central part of the play area.”

A spokesperson said: “The damaged play unit has been fenced off and secured, to prevent access, until it can be fully assessed by council officers and surveyors of the company that supplied the unit.”

Cllr Martin Smart, Executive Councillor for Open Spaces and City Services at Cambridge City Council, said: “I was shocked and saddened to hear about the fire at the newly-refurbished play area, which has proved extremely popular with children since it first opened earlier this year. If anyone knows anything at all about the cause of the fire I would urge them to contact the police as soon as possible.”

Anyone with information should contact police by visiting www.cambs.police.uk/ to submit an online report or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.