Police looking for suspects in Glover School arson

By Sarah Favot, Town Correspondent

Milton police are looking for suspects and any information regarding an arson that occurred over the weekend at the Glover Elementary School playground. 

On Saturday night around midnight, a resident reported smoke coming from the rear of the school, according to Police Department Deputy Chief Charles F. Paris.

When the Fire Department arrived at the scene, two plastic slides, other playground equipment, and the playground’s mulch were in flames, according to Fire Department Deputy Chief Kevin Finerty. 

Paris said about one-third of the equipment was damaged. Neither police nor fire officials knew the estimated cost of damage. 

Paris said it appeared as though the perpetrators used some kind of accelerant to start the fire in the mulch and it ignited with the plastic playground equipment. 

Finerty said several cans of deodorant sprays were found at the scene. 

Paris said police have been interviewing people, but there were no suspects as of yesterday morning. “I imagine it’s probably school-age kids hanging around the area who started the fire,” he said. 

He said police have been in touch with school officials, who will make the repairs to the playground. It has been closed since Sunday. He said he was not sure when the repairs would be made -- probably before classes resume on Aug. 31. 

The Milton Police Department’s Facebook page encourages residents who have any information to contact Detective Kristen Clifford, who is handling the case, at 617-898-4837. 

Paris said the Police Department would be reaching out to Milton parents through Superintendent Mary Gormley’s newsletter e-blasts within the next week or so about recent crimes involving youth. 

Aside from the arson incident, police said they suspect that young people were involved in an incident of vandalism at Cunningham Park reported to police on July 4, in which beer bottles were thrown into the pool, causing damage.

Also on Saturday night, a juvenile was stabbed at Cunningham Park after a fight broke out between groups of youths from Quincy and Milton. 

Paris said Gormley’s newsletters are a good way of communicating with a large number of parents in the town to make them aware of the incidents that have been occurring. 

Sarah Favot can be reached at sarah.yourtown@gmail.com.

For more news, follow us on Twitter @Miltonupdate.