A suspicious fire early Monday in Maple Ridge destroyed a slide in a playground.
The blaze at Holly Park on Darby Street, near 117th Avenue, melted the blue plastic slide, leaving a gaping hole at the bottom.
It started after someone lit a cardboard box at its base.
Maple Ridge fire chief Dane Spence said a nearby resident saw smoke and put the flames out with buckets of water before fire trucks arrived.
Police spoke with several neighbours in the area who reported seeing between four and five teenagers in the park a short time before the fire was spotted.
Insp. Dave Fluegel said no one got a good look at any of the teens, but police have few leads to go on.
The district’s parks and recreation department will be replacing the slide, which costs approximately $4,500, in the next few days.
Facilities manager Michael Millward said the slide has been boarded up for safety.