Four Boys to Face Charges in Oregon Stadium Fire

Four boys between the ages of 10 and 12 will face charges in connection to the fire that destroyed historic Civic Stadium in Eugene, Ore.

More information about the charges is expected Thursday, the Eugene Register-Guard reported. The boys have not been identified.

The fire occurred Monday evening, and the baseball stadium was described as a “total loss.” A police spokesperson said arson investigators received a tip on Wednesday. The incident is not believed to be fireworks related.

FROM AB: Historic Baseball Stadium in Oregon Burns Down

The head baseball coach of a local high school told the newspaper earlier in the week he saw four boys on bikes riding in the stadium’s parking lot the night of the fire. They then carried their bikes over a bridge as the fire spread.

“I’m not jumping to conclusions,” South Eugene High’s Danny Sales said of the four boys, whom he described as being of middle school age. “But we did see them over there.”

A renovation of Civic Stadium, which was built in 1938, was scheduled this month to transform the stadium into a venue for soccer and other sports. The ballpark was the former home of the Eugene Emeralds minor-league baseball team.