Chicago youth soccer league says fire that burned equipment shed could have been arson
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A fire at a park Chicago's Southwest Side not far from Midway International Airport destroyed thousands of dollars' worth of youth soccer equipment.
Daniel Nunez said earlier this month, he was sent a video in real time of a fire at Vittum Park—in the area of 49th Street and LeClaire Avenue in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood.
"It smelled like burned plastic," Nunez said.
Vittum Park is where Nunez's youth soccer program, Academia de Fútbol Atlas FC Chicago, plays—serving kids from just 4 years old up to 17.
"I noticed that there was no more shed," said Nunez. "Once I got closer, even closer. I noticed everything was burned. All the plastic was all the way burned—all the way to the ground."
A singed grass online remains at the site of the shed where Academia de Fútbol Atlas FC Chicago stored its soccer equipment. The plastic shed held everything from cones to balls, and all of it was destroyed.
Along with losing everything inside the 6-foot shed, the soccer nets that were tied to the shed were also destroyed. The soccer league just got the new nets this past spring."
Nunez suspects arson.
"There's nothing inside that could cause a fire, so then I thought right away that maybe that somebody had probably had done it," he said.
Nunez said he cannot figure out any reason why someone would want to burn down the soccer shed.
"I have no idea," he said. "Honestly, all the equipment is for the kids."
Since the fire, the team has relied on equipment donations from other teams. Meanwhile, Nunez has started an online fundraiser to replace the burned items.
"This is a big setback," he said. "I think anything can be used as a lesson."
Whether it is adversity in life or sport, Nunez says it's how one responds that matters.
"I don't want anything to like get in the way," he said. "We just have to continue, right?"