Two children suffered “burn-like injuries” over the weekend after visiting a western Massachusetts playground where someone had poured chemicals on three slides, officials said.The chemical, which was poured on equipment at Bliss Park in Longmeadow, was later determined to be muriatic acid, the fire department said. The children were exposed and emergency officials were called at 9:40 a.m. Sunday. Investigators believe the chemicals poured on the slides were stolen from the park’s pool building.”It was determined that the pump room in the basement of the pool building had been broken into. Two fences had been climbed and a cover to a ventilation shaft was torn off,” the fire department wrote. “The perpetrators entered the room through the ventilation shaft. In this room is where the chemicals used to operate the pool are stored.”Muriatic acid can be used to balance pH levels in a pool and can be used for certain cleaning applications. “The pool chemicals had been stored properly in a secured area. A great deal of effort was employed to enter this space. We suspect that the perpetrators may have suffered acid burns to their hands or arms and their clothing may have indications of being degraded from contact with the acid,” the fire department said. Evidence found in the pool building basement was collected for forensic analysis and fingerprinting, officials said. A specialty contractor was hired to clean the play space. Until it is deemed safe, the area is being fenced off from the rest of the park, which remains open. Police and fire officials are asking anyone with information about the incident to call the Longmeadow police Tip Line at 413-565-4199, especially anyone who saw suspicious activity around the park or who knows someone with new burns on their hands or arms.
Two children suffered “burn-like injuries” over the weekend after visiting a western Massachusetts playground where someone had poured chemicals on three slides, officials said.
The chemical, which was poured on equipment at Bliss Park in Longmeadow, was later determined to be muriatic acid, the fire department said. The children were exposed and emergency officials were called at 9:40 a.m. Sunday.
Investigators believe the chemicals poured on the slides were stolen from the park’s pool building.
“It was determined that the pump room in the basement of the pool building had been broken into. Two fences had been climbed and a cover to a ventilation shaft was torn off,” the fire department wrote. “The perpetrators entered the room through the ventilation shaft. In this room is where the chemicals used to operate the pool are stored.”
Muriatic acid can be used to balance pH levels in a pool and can be used for certain cleaning applications.
“The pool chemicals had been stored properly in a secured area. A great deal of effort was employed to enter this space. We suspect that the perpetrators may have suffered acid burns to their hands or arms and their clothing may have indications of being degraded from contact with the acid,” the fire department said.
Evidence found in the pool building basement was collected for forensic analysis and fingerprinting, officials said.
A specialty contractor was hired to clean the play space. Until it is deemed safe, the area is being fenced off from the rest of the park, which remains open.
Police and fire officials are asking anyone with information about the incident to call the Longmeadow police Tip Line at 413-565-4199, especially anyone who saw suspicious activity around the park or who knows someone with new burns on their hands or arms.