Vandals recently set fire to new playground equipment at Beretania Community Park, causing significant damage that will require the installation of replacement parts, according to city officials.

The top platform of a new play structure at the park was destroyed sometime between 5 p.m. on Friday, August 24, and 9 a.m. Monday, August 27.

It appears that someone poured a flammable liquid onto the platform and set it on fire, said Rosalind Young, West Honolulu District supervisor for the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Young said the platform must be replaced, and the department is working with a distributor to obtain the necessary parts.

Young said, "The greatest impact of this unfortunate incident is that the children will not have full use of this new equipment for a while."