Palm Bay playground torched

PALM BAY, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - Some residents in a Palm Bay neighborhood, near Goode Park, were awakened by a popping sound.

When Melissa Hughes opened her front door she says she was immediately hit by heat from a huge fire at the playground across the street. Someone, in the early morning hours on Thursday, sparked a fire that would cause $75,000 worth of damage.

Children's slides, swings and climbing structures up in a toxic cloud of burning plastic and wood. Firefighters say, by the time they arrived, the whole playground was in flames.

Investigators have determined it was an arson, and they are now looking for a suspect(s). Investigators are asking anyone with surveillance cameras who may have captured any images of people near the fire to give them a call.

If you have information about this case, contact Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS (8477).