Middle-schoolers charged in fire that destroys playground in Bluffton

Two juveniles face criminal charges after accidentally setting a fire Friday that destroyed most of the playground equipment at Michael C. Riley Elementary School, authorities said.

Because it was the first day of spring break, the school was empty. No injuries were reported.

The juveniles -- a 13-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl -- were arrested near the playground and charged with malicious injury to personal property.

The pair were hanging out at the playground with two other children who weren't charged. One of them was smoking a cigar, according to detectives.

The two juveniles who were charged began playing with a lighter and tried to set fire to rubber mulch-like material spread beneath the playground equipment. The boy found an old University of South Carolina sweatshirt and set it on fire, and the girl threw the rubber material on top, said Lt. Bryan Norberg, spokesman for the Bluffton Police Department.

"They started some stuff on fire and then tried to stomp it out," he said. "The intent of arson wasn't there, but they were unsuccessful in putting the fire out, so it smoldered for a little while and ended up burning a large portion of the playground."

A witness called police, who tracked down three of the juveniles nearby on Boundary Street. The two culprits, neither of whom had ever been in trouble with the Bluffton Police Department, admitted their involvement, Norberg said.

The Bluffton Township Fire District, which has a station near the Burnt Church Road school, quickly put out the fire, but estimated it destroyed about 90 percent of the playground equipment, as well as the rubber mulch, which is flammable.

"They're just old rubber tires that are chopped up and recycled," said battalion chief Todd Harvey. "Once you put enough heat on it, it burns."

It's unclear when the playground will be rebuilt. Attempts to reach the school's principal and the school district's spokesman were unsuccessful.