Lufkin Fire Department responded to the park at 5:43 a.m. today for a fire underneath the playground equipment. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze. Roughly half of the structure suffered fire damage with one slide and rock wall destroyed.

Lufkin Fire has responded to parks numerous times in the past several weeks due to playground mulch fires from discarded cigarette butts.

Fire Marshal Ozzie Jarman is investigating the cause which remains unknown. Jarman noted that the fire is suspicious.

“This occurred during a time that the park isn’t heavily frequented which makes a discarded cigarette butt less likely but not impossible,” Jarman said.

A Lufkin Parks & Recreation crew installed a barrier around the damaged playground. We ask that people refrain from using the structure until it is repaired.

Anyone with information regarding the fire should call Jarman at 936-633-0307.