After the university cut their program in February, players on Fairfield’s hockey team thought things couldn’t get any worse.
It looks like they were wrong.
The players were dealt another substantial blow last weekend when they heard that their locker room at the Wonderland of Ice, which contained the entire team’s equipment and uniforms, was completely destroyed after a fire was ignited by a space heater.
“The way this year has been going for the hockey program, this just seems like the icing on the cake,” said forward Lyon Porter, ’05. “It just adds insult to injury. It’s one more thing that we all have to deal with.”
Co-captain Rae Metz, ’03, was equally disappointed to hear the news.
“It’s just another thing that has happened,” Metz said. “I think we all just sat back and laughed – like what else could go wrong? We actually thought it was an early April Fool’s joke at first.”
The fire was reported to the Bridgeport Fire Department at approximately 6:30 p.m. on March 29. A youth hockey game that was going on at the time was immediately stopped when smoke filtered through the entire arena, forcing everyone to be evacuated. No one was hurt and the fire was contained to just Fairfield’s locker room, according to Bridgeport fire officials.
West Side Battalion Chief Bruce Porzelt said the fire was accidental and was caused because the players’ gear was too close to a space heater. The Stags have continued to skate in the off-season on Tuesdays and Thursdays to keep in shape.
“Wet gear was left in front of a heater above the wooden lockers,” Porzelt said. “Everything melted down the walls. All the gear melted or burned – destroying everything.”
Porzelt estimated the damage somewhere around $15,000, but Fairfield Assistant Coach Pat Nugent said that the damages are considerably higher since each player’s equipment alone costs between $1,500 and $2,000.
According to Nugent, problems may arise in trying to recover the financial losses from the fire. The university believes the Wonderland of Ice’s insurance company should compensate, while the arena said the players’ homeowners insurance should be held accountable, Nugent said.
“I hope things don’t spin out of control,” Nugent said. “I hope the kids don’t get screwed.”
Director of Athletics Eugene Doris said it’s too soon to point fingers. The first priority, according to Doris, will be to evaluate what exactly was in the locker room at the time, and then to check the details of the insurance policy the university has with the arena.
“I think the university has to pick up some of the responsibility,” Metz said. “Not only do they make us play in that terrible rink, but it’s their responsibility to take care of this. Going through our parents’ insurance would just be ridiculous.”
According to Nugent, all of the players’ equipment was in the locker room at the time. The players’ helmets, gloves, pants, shirts and some hockey sticks were contributed by the university, and the rest of the gear was paid by each player personally.
The loss of equipment was most disparaging, according to Doris, who said it would complicate the university’s plan to implement a club hockey team next year.
“The biggest thing I look at is the loss of equipment for the possible club hockey team program going forward,” Doris said. “I don’t know if the program is definite, but there definitely has been interest from students and incoming freshmen.”
Players like goalie Andrew Martin, ’05, who plans to transfer after this year, said the loss of equipment will dramatically affect his off-season workouts.
“I thought it was a joke at first. It’s just another thing – there’s been so many bad things, I didn’t think something else could happen,” Martin said. “It’s a big disappointment for us. It’s another blow to us, and makes things more complicated.”
The university’s decision to cut the program, after nearly 40 years in existence, was difficult enough, according to Nugent, but Saturday’s fire has really put the nail in the coffin for the Stags’ program.
“Some guys may never play again,” Nugent said. “It doesn’t get much worse. Basically it’s kicking them while they are down.”
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