Rochester firefighter memorial vandalized - KXLT - Fox 47 Rochester MN News, Weather and Sports

ROCHESTER Minn. (FOX 47) -- The firefighter memorial at Silver Lake Park has been vandalized.

Rochester firefighters say they got a call about the damage Monday morning.

The memorial and two benches at Silver Lake Park were spray painted with what appears to be a series of initials.

The memorial was built in 2003 to honor firefighters who drowned on the job on Christmas Eve in 1953.

The bench is in honor of firefighters who have died while employed by the fire department.

Another bench in honor of former 5th Ward Alderman Gordon Bluhm was also spray painted.

Battalion Chief Eric Kerska said he doesn't know who could have committed the crimes.

Kerska said the fire department is working with the makers of the memorial to see how much it will cost to repair.

Kerska said he isn't sure at this point who will bear the burden of the cost -- the Fire Department Relief Association or the Parks Department.

Kerska said he did not know how long the cleaning would take but the fire department plans to have it cleaned for the Christmas Eve service.