A small but clearly intentional fire left a five-foot circle of artificial turf scorched at Madison Middle School in West Seattle, school officials say, after a neighbor spotted the damage and a burned chair on the field on the night of July 13. The district says it has filed a police report, is lining up repairs, and is keeping the playfield open in the meantime since the damage sits outside the marked playing lines.
According to West Seattle Blog, a district spokesperson said the damage is "located outside the playing lines of the field so the field can be used while we wait on the vendor." The spokesperson told the site that a vendor has been contacted to provide a repair estimate and schedule a crew to fix the scorched section, and confirmed that a police report has been filed, although school officials did not immediately share the incident number when reporters asked.
The burned patch came to light after a resident identified as Malia sent the photo of the charred chair and turf to the site, which reported that the fire was already out when she discovered it. Seattle Fire Department officials told the outlet they would pass along information to investigators and asked that anyone with details contact Seattle Police. As of Wednesday, investigators had not released further information about how the fire started or who might be responsible.
Field Was Newer, Levy-Funded
Seattle Public Schools project records show Madison’s playfield was recently replaced and outfitted with lights under the district’s BEX V capital levy, with school board documents indicating the athletic-field work was formally accepted in 2024. As outlined by Seattle Public Schools, the Madison upgrades were part of a broader package of middle school field improvements funded by the levy.
How To Report Tips
Seattle Fire asked anyone with information about the incident to call the Seattle Police Department’s non-emergency line, which the SPD contact page lists as (206) 625-5011. People who have video or other evidence can reference Madison Middle School’s address, 3429 45th Avenue SW, when they call.
The district says turf repairs will move forward after the vendor provides a quote and Seattle Public Schools issues a purchase order, at which point crews will check for any damage beneath the turf fibers and fix what is needed. Until that work begins, officials say the area outside the playing lines can remain in use, and they plan to coordinate with the vendor on timing to limit disruptions for school teams and community groups that rely on the field.
