By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

The Saline County Sheriff's Office is investigating as arson an early Wednesday morning fire that destroyed a wooden bridge in the northern part of the county.

Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said this morning that a motorist driving on Interstate 70 first reported the fire just after 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. As it turned out, the fire actually was on a wooden bridge that connected some farmland with the "T" intersection of N. Simpson Road and Campbell Road, a short distance south of the interstate.

The fire completely destroyed the wooden planks of the bridge owned by Saline County and is believed to have damaged a wall of the box culvert underneath. Loss was estimated at $6,000.

Soldan said investigators believe the fire was started with an accelerant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647532690551.jpeg" alt="Wooden planks burn on a bridge at the N. Simpson Road-Campbell Road&nbsp; intersection. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Wooden planks burn on a bridge at the N. Simpson Road-Campbell Road&nbsp; intersection. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostThe Saline County Sheriff's Office is investigating as arson an early Wednesday morning fire that destroyed a wooden bridge in the northern part of the county.Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said this morning that a motorist driving on Interstate 70 first reported the fire just after 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. As it turned out, the fire actually was on a wooden bridge that connected some farmland with the "T" intersection of N. Simpson Road and Campbell Road, a short distance south of the interstate.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647532821216.jpeg" alt="Burning planks drop into the box culvert." />
 <figcaption>Burning planks drop into the box culvert.</figcaption>
 </figure>The fire completely destroyed the wooden planks of the bridge owned by Saline County and is believed to have damaged a wall of the box culvert underneath. Loss was estimated at $6,000.Soldan said investigators believe the fire was started with an accelerant.

Fire that destroyed bridge in N. Saline County called arson