EHS football field house fire torches equipment

Published 4:56 am Wednesday, October 14, 2015

The day before homecoming, Thursday, Oct. 8, the Enterprise High School (EHS) football field house was destroyed by fire, taking all of the football equipment and uniforms with it.

By noon local businessman Greg Bales, a parent of one of the football players, had called a friend who knew a friend and new uniforms were on the way.

“Bill Hall, a landowner in Joseph used to work for Nike,” Bales said. “I called him and he called Nike and Nike has stepped up. They say they can have new uniforms to us by (Friday).”

By Friday Football Booster Club President and Wresting Coach Troy Farwell reported uniform and shoe sizes were sent to Nike and jerseys and shoes had been shipped. The school also ordered new pads and helmets. Some items had already come in by Friday afternoon.

“The team is hoping to get all the gear by next Wednesday, Oct. 14, so that a contact practice can take place before the home game against Burns Oct. 16,” Farwell said.

A gofundme account was also set up to replace the field house.

“Any donations to that, or directly to the Enterprise Educational Foundation (EED), are tax deductible,” said EED Foundation President Cindi Aschenbrenner.

The gofundme account began with a $10K goal, but was amended up to $40K when it was reported the track equipment was in the building as well. The crowd-sourcing site can be accessed at www.gofundme.com/kd5zzsn4. By press time Tuesday the total of contributions was at $1,705.

Additional contributions continue to come directly to the EED Foundation. Aschenbrenner reported the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) donated $2,000, the Enterprise Fire Department (EFD) donated $1,000, Video Buffs of Enterprise donated $1,000 in memory of Nicole Wynn, Todd, Shane and Gary Marr donated $1,000, Joseph Athletics donated $2,200, Rahn’s Sanitary donated $1,000, and Lance and Michelle Homan donated $100.

“And there are more coming in, a total of over $14,000,” Aschenbrenner said.

An electrical short behind the ice machine that sat in the middle of the building reportedly started the fire. It was discovered and reported by Marcie Teeney of Joseph, who was working on the spectator stands, preparing them for the next home game.

Teeney reportedly gained access to the burning building and saw flames leaping up from behind the ice machine, but could not get near enough to unplug it.

“I just couldn’t do anything but call the fire department,” she said.

Both Joseph and Enterprise Fire Departments responded to the fire and found the building fully engulfed when they arrived, minutes after receiving the 911 call.

The structure of the building provided a “complicated” firefight, according to Emergency Management Director Paul Karvosky.

“It was all old, heavy timber, the ceiling was plywood, and it had a metal roof. These all hampered efforts,” Karvosky said.

A hole was cut in the metal roof to allow access to the attic and firefighters masked up and entered the building, but it was quickly decided to call in heavy equipment and take the structure down. Johnny Gibson of Gibson Excavating of Joseph brought in a back hoe to take down the structure.

No one was injured in the fire.

The homecoming parade, dance and pep rally went forward as planned, with only the Friday game at Echo canceled.