Blaze sacks football team's equipment.

Byline: Andrea Damewood The Register-Guard

SPRINGFIELD - Springfield High School administrators say a suspicious weekend fire in an outbuilding destroyed more than $20,000 worth of the football team's equipment.

A resident near the school reported the fire at 8:26 a.m. Saturday, and all of the stored equipment, including blocking dummies and footballs, melted in the heat, Springfield High principal Chris Reiersgaard said.

The blaze was apparently started by someone trying to ignite a portable toilet adjacent to the tin shed, he said.

"It couldn't have been worse timing," Reiersgaard said. "Daily doubles start (today). The kids have been working hard all summer."

Fire investigators have completed their work at the school, 875 Seventh St., spokesman Mark Walker said, and an official report will be filed today.

An official damage estimate was unavailable Sunday.

However, Reiersgaard said he was confident the team's 80 to 100 players would have equipment soon.

Head coach Joe Kanach estimated the replacement cost at $20,000 after looking up equipment prices online, Reiersgaard said. The district is insured, he said.

"The district office really came through," he said. "They said, `Hey, get what you need to get going right now.' So with good luck and fast shipping, we might have our own stuff by midweek."

Sgt. Dick Jones said city police are awaiting the fire department's report, but the incident is suspicious because it would be unusual for such a storage structure to burn accidentally.

"Generally, they don't spontaneously catch on fire," Jones said.

Anyone with information about the fire may phone the Springfield police tip line at 726-3773.