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Black smoke rises as fire consumes elementary school playground

Posted at 7:21 PM, Aug 15, 2014
and last updated 2014-08-16 07:40:15-04

RICHMOND, Va. -- Investigators are working to determine who, or what, started a fire that damaged the playground at Fairfield Court Elementary Friday afternoon. The fire at Phaup Street was reported at about 4:30 p.m.

Richmond School Board member Jeffrey Bourne supplied CBS 6 with a photo of the fire and black smoke rising from the playground.

Fairfield Court Elementary

Fairfield Court Elementary playground fire.

There have been several playground fires reported in Richmond over the last few years. In July, a fire damaged the playground at Overby-Sheppard Elementary School. Richmond School Board member Kim Gray said the cost to replace the playground was around $150,000.

She said since she started on the school board in 2009, she could remember at least five playground fires.

In May, a Richmond elementary school student was arrested for allegedly trying to set fire at the Woodville Elementary School playground. In 2013, someone set fire to a playground for special need students at J.L. Francis ElementaryThat playground cost around $70,000 to build, school officials said.