News

Nov 02, 2024

Playground destroyed in massive fire that damaged Daniel Carter Beard Bridge

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. A massive fire engulfed a portion of the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge (Interstate 471) overnight Friday, causing damage and leading

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.

A massive fire engulfed a portion of the Daniel Carter Beard Bridge (Interstate 471) overnight Friday, causing damage and leading to an indefinite closure.

Crews were dispatched around 3:30 a.m. for a report of a fire.

About 60 firefighters responded to the scene, where they found a large fire at the Sawyer Point Park playset area that wrapped around parts of the bridge.

From traffic to the community aspect, the fire will have a huge impact on people who use the bridge and surrounding areas.

People who live, work and use the amenities beneath the bridge at Sawyer Point Park were stunned to see the damage.

The swing sets, slides and merry-go-round were charred and reduced to soot in the aftermath of the blaze.

People who use the park said it will be sad for the children who frequently play in the area that was destroyed.

"There's a playground like my wife and I, we like to run with our dog down here all the time," Brian Taft said. "There's a playground where you always see kids play, and it's cute and it's just kind of sad to see it completely burned up."

The popular spot was made as a playground for kids of all abilities and was also wheelchair-accessible.