Guy Tries to Forget Old Flame, Sets Fire to Park

2 charged in playground fire that caused $21K in damage
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 3, 2016 8:14 AM CST
Guy Tries to Forget Old Flame, Sets Fire to Park
Whoops.   (Shutterstock)

Police in Anchorage, Alaska, are dealing with what the AP calls "a case of burning love": Two teens who burned a love letter from one of their ex-girlfriends also burned down a playground on Monday, police say. A police rep notes Robert Yaskell and Riley Borello-Poythress, both 18, "lit paper on fire on the playground" of Bowman Elementary School, then "left the playground after the paper was ignited," per Alaska Dispatch News.

The flames soon spread to flammable rubber mulch, followed by two pieces of playground equipment. Firefighters were called to put out the blaze, which caused $21,000 in damage, around 8pm. Authorities later identified the teens, who "were cooperative with police—but they did not initially report the fire to us," the police rep says. Both face charges of criminal mischief, criminal negligent burning, and failure to control or report a fire. (More weird crimes stories.)

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