Headlines| Fire destroys park's observation deck | | | | Published Wednesday, June 27, 2012 |
What remains of the observation deck in Park Forest's Central Park. Residents with information asked to call police.
The Park Forest Fire Department is investigating
the cause of an early morning blaze that destroyed an observation deck in Park
Forest’s Central Park.
Fire crews were dispatched to the scene on North Orchard Drive at 5:06 this
morning. On arrival, the fifteen-foot-tall wooden observation deck, situated in the
center of the 45-acre wetland, was fully engulfed in flames.
Crews were on the scene for over an hour, where they used extinguishers to put
out the fire due to the limited access at the site.
Village officials estimate the cost to replace the structure at $10,000.
Park Forest Mayor John A. Ostenburg expressed his disappointment while calling
for the person or persons responsible for the fire to face punishment.
“It is extremely disappointing that something like this would happen to a major
amenity in our community that so many enjoy, and now we have to face the
unfortunate situation to either leave it unrepaired or spend a considerable
amount of tax dollars to replace it.”
“We have to establish if somebody did this consciously or accidentally, but in
either case, they need to be held responsible.”
Fire officials say that while the cause of the fire is under investigation, it
is being called a fire of “suspicious nature.” An empty cigar wrapper was found at the scene – leaving open the possibility of
the fire being accidentally set.
The observation deck was installed in 2004 with a large portion of the funding
donated by the Park Forest Rotary Club.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Park Forest Police Department at
708-748-8390.
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