Playground slides doused with acid, 2 children burned
Two children were left with burn-like injuries after coming into contact with acid that had been splashed on slides at a playground in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Emergency services were alerted on Sunday morning, with firefighters and EMTs attending a nearby home where the injured children had gone to seek help. Mother Ashley Thielen stated that her children had played on the slides, with her youngest crying and showing signs of burns after sliding through a puddle of acid. Footage taken by Thielen showed that her children’s legs had blistered after coming into contact with the chemical.
A statement from the Longmeadow Fire Department revealed that intruders had broken into a storage room at the park’s pool and stolen muriatic acid used for cleaning. Officials believe that the acid, which is a diluted solution of hydrochloric acid, was then poured onto three slides. It is unclear if more than one person was involved in the theft and attack, but no arrests have been made.
Police have appealed for information on anyone who may have suffered burns to their hands or arms or had clothing burned in the incident. Firefighters have warned that the perpetrators, who are believed to have handled the acid, may have suffered burns. The playground had been cleaned up, but additional cleaning teams are expected to arrive throughout the week. The playground remains closed out of caution and until further notice.
FAQs:
What is muriatic acid?
Muriatic acid is a diluted solution of hydrochloric acid that can be used for cleaning or maintaining a pool’s pH balance.
Were any arrests made?
No, no one has been arrested as of Tuesday.
Has the playground reopened?
No, the playground remains closed out of caution and until further notice.
Have the perpetrators been identified?
No, the perpetrators have not been identified, but police are appealing for information on anyone who may have suffered burns to their hands or arms or had clothing burned in the incident.
Two children sustain burns from acid sprayed on playground slides.
Two children were left with burns on Sunday after playing on slides that had been doused with stolen acid at a playground in Massachusetts. Emergency services rushed to Bliss Park in Longmeadow following reports of a suspected substance on the slides. At about the same time, firefighters and EMTs were informed of two children who had left the park with burn-like injuries. Their mother told local media that her children had slid through a puddle of acid which she had initially assumed was rainwater. It later emerged that intruders had stolen muriatic acid used for cleaning from a storage room at the park’s pool and poured it on three slides. No suspect has been arrested or charged as yet, but police have requested that anyone with information about burns in their hands or clothing contact them.