Fire Destroys Sunrise Park Playground in Yakima, Cause Still Unknown

The cause of a large fire that destroyed the Rotary Playground at Sunrise Park on the Yakima Greenway Thursday remains under investigation.

THE CAUSE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION

Fire investigators are searching for a cause but like many playground fires arson is suspected. Last year's fire at the playground caused some $350,000 in damage. No injuries were reported Thursday. Yakima Rotary Club members who built the facility in 2021 are closely watching the investigation hoping for answers. The playground is insured.

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A LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY

Last year club members from Yakima Sunrise Rotary, Southwest Rotary and Yakima Rotary published a letter to the community on Facebook. The letter said they were " truly saddened and are sending warm thoughts to the Greenway team."

WHAT'S NEXT?

The letter said obviously many club members were disappointed "and want to know more facts and may be asking ourselves, "what is next?"
All possibilities on how the fire started will be considered by investigators.
Firefighters and Yakima Police say many homeless people live along the Greenway and start small warming fires and many times those fires lead to larger blazes and sometimes damage facilities and scorch Greenway property. Yakima Firefighters battle the small warming fires every winter. They responded to more than 30
such fires over the past Winter.

FIRST BUILT IN 1994

The playground was originally funded by Yakima's three Rotary clubs.
The Sunrise Rotary Park McGuire Community Playground was dedicated on May 15, 1994. The playground was rebuilt in 2021.