When parents arrived at Governors Field in Ridgefield, Connecticut, for a high school baseball game Saturday, they were disappointed to find it was still soaked from a storm. Determined to avoid needing to wait it out, they took matters into their own hands in what seemed like the next logical step.
They dumped 25 gallons of gasoline on the field and set it ablaze.
The stunt did not exactly go according to plan. After the field burst into a fiery inferno complete with flames jumping as high as 15 feet, the game needed to be postponed – and the town needs to recoup $50,000 in damages.
@GameTimeCT @amityathletics @SPBowley
Field Maintenance at Governors Field in Ridgefield. First responders currently on scene. Game being moved? Environmental Hazard? pic.twitter.com/9eKd2JcBJC— NortonAmityTeacher (@AmityNorton) April 6, 2019
“That was a bad, bad idea and there are going to be negative consequences associated with that,” First Selectman for Ridgefield Rudy Marconi told NBC 4 New York. “Unfortunately, I think a lot of the people who were involved were looking more at becoming part of a solution and they felt good in participating.”
Several parents took turns dousing the field while over 100 bystanders reportedly stood around and watched. Tarps now cover the field, where a spill crew had to dig out six inches of soil to remove all of the damaged areas.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s hazmat group had to be called in to address the situation, and the soil will now need to be tested to determine whether it is safe for human use.
Police are actively investigating the incident and looking to determine whether prosecution of those who set the field on fire is appropriate.