Suspicious fire destroys baseball storage shed, damages dugout
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (May 9, 2022) – The New Philadelphia Youth Baseball program is seeking donations to replace a storage shed at the Waterworks Ball Fields that caught on fire Friday afternoon.
President Mitch Pace says it appears someone intentionally ignited the shed, which is behind the third-base dugout at the field closest to South Broadway, across from Buehler’s.
“The chief when he was down there said the fire was set right inside the door. The door must’ve been shut and then it must’ve smoldered in there until it really lit.”
The organization has set up a GoFundMe page that aims to raise $10,000 for the replacement and to fix up or replace the dugout, which Pace says is still usable but experienced some roof damage from the blaze.
“The dugouts themselves across the entire Waterworks need some attention, and now that Field 5’s shed was caught on fire from Friday, that one probably needs the most attention currently.”
Checks made payable to New Phila Youth Baseball can also be mailed Tuscora Park at 161 Tuscora Avenue NW in New Philadelphia. Pace isn’t yet sure how much the work will cost although he says anything over that will go toward regrading and resurfacing the field.
“On top of that, we do have our annual meat fundraiser from Beitzel Meats going on currently. All of the kids have $10 raffle tickets they’re selling. There’s four grand prizes this year of a quarter beef, and that’ll be running through the first week of June.”
The New Philadelphia Police Department is investigating the fire, which a passerby reported around 3:15 Friday afternoon. Anyone with information is asked to call the station at 330-343-4488.