Austin, Texas’ giant troll statue, Malin’s Fountain, an icon at Pease Park, burned to the ground, the park announced in a Facebook post.
“The troll sculpture in Pease Park was lost to a fire, and we are heartbroken alongside the community that cherished it,” the park stated in its post.
The fire was reported on Thursday, May 21, at 5:30 a.m. CT, Tara Long, Austin Fire Department spokesperson, told USA TODAY in an email. First responders arrived at the scene at 5:35 a.m., but were unable to access the site of the fire. Crews relocated and extinguished the blaze, but Malin’s Fountain was lost.
An active investigation is underway, according to Long, who did not state what could have caused the fire.
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What was Malin’s Fountain?
The beloved statue, Malin’s Fountain, in Austin, Texas’ Pease Park Conservancy was destroyed in a fire on Thursday, May 21.
Malin’s Fountain was a statue created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, according to Pease Park’s website.
“Malin is a female troll holding a bowl,” the park stated. “She reminds us that we should share water and resources with the animals that live here with us.”
Around 80% of the fountain was made from materials that were recycled, repurposed or found, and was available for the public to visit via car, public transportation, biking or walking.
Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers invasive species, space phenomena, scientific studies, natural disasters and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Troll statue Malin’s Fountain at Pease Park burns down in fire