A janitor doused a smoldering fire set by a group of males at a Salina school.

Police say at about 5:30pm Wednesday a custodian at Cottonwood Elementary School, 215 S. Phillips noticed a group of boys on the playground, attempting to ignite a fire under the slipper slide.

As he approached them, three boys fled on bikes, another on a skateboard.

The custodian doused the smoldering pile of mulch and notebook paper with a bucket of water.