A section of the Towpath Trail in South Akron will remain closed indefinitely after vandals set a bridge on fire.
The wooden bridge between Summit Lake and West Wilbeth Road was torched early Tuesday by unknown arsonists, Summit Metro Parks said.
It appears that propane might have been used to set the sturdy Brazilian hardwood epay on fire, said park district spokesman Nate Eppink.
A darkened propane tank was found in the canal near the torched bridge, he said. The hardwood was used in the Summit Lake area because of its durability when exposed to water and the elements.
The fire was reported to park rangers about 6 a.m. Tuesday after the Akron Fire Department responded to the fire.
About 40 feet of the wooden structure was destroyed, Eppink said.
Park district officials are still trying to assess how badly damaged the structure might be and whether the fire damaged the posts set into the Ohio & Erie Canal just south of Summit Lake to support the bridge, he said.
Park officials are looking into the possibility of temporarily rerouting the trail on city streets, but no decisions have been made on a temporary trail relocation, Eppink said.
There is a possibility that a floating trail like that on nearby Summit Lake could be rigged to provide a temporary route, he said.
Eppink said the Akron Fire Department also responded early Tuesday to a utility pole that had been set on fire about a half-mile from the bridge to the southeast
The incident occurred on non-park property but propane was also used to ignite the pole, he said.
Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact the park district at 330-867-5511.
The bridge burning drew hundreds of comments on the park district’s Facebook page.
“This is sad,” said Johnathon Ralston. “I think this is one of the most beautiful parts of the trail.”
Added Bethany Denison: “This is terrible. I run here often and this really angers me.”
It’s not the first time that the Towpath Trail has been damaged in that area.
A section of the trail was torched in 2009 after someone stole a city vehicle and burned it on a wooden section of the Towpath Trail.
Bob Downing can be reached at 330-996-3745 or bdowning@thebeaconjourna.com.