LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A sporting complex in Elizabethtown was temporarily closed over the weekend after authorities said someone started a fire on purpose with hundreds of people still inside.
The shower in the women's restroom has already been uninstalled so that crews can replace it in the coming days.Â
Elizabethtown Police Department spokesman Chris Denham said the incident happened just after 2 p.m. Sunday. Police said an investigation determined an underage suspect had intentionally set fire to part of a shower area inside the women's restroom at the facility.
"That juvenile was taken into custody and charged with the offense of arson in the first degree," Denham said.
The suspect, who isn't being named because of his or her age, was already inside the building for an event, police said.
"It was a busy time of day," Denham said. "There was sporting events taking place, and the suspect was there just prior to participating in a sporting event themselves."
Chairs were burned and heavy smoke stained the walls in the small area where the fire happened. The damage was minimal.
Dustin Shepherd, general manager at the Bluegrass Sportsplex who was at the facility when it happened, said when the alarms went off and staff determined there was an actual fire, he ran to the shower room to check it out.
"It was caused by lighting the shower curtain that was up here," Shepherd said. "So, they lit the shower curtain. ... obviously, the fire went from there."
The smoke and flames triggered the sprinkler system in the small area. The fire protection measures, along with a quick response from the Elizabethtown Fire Department, helped contain the fire to a very small area.Â
Officials evacuated hundreds of people.
Brun marks on the insulation behind the shower show some of the damage from the fire and smoke.
"We had about 500 people in here yesterday with soccer league games, basketball, birthday parties, all sorts of things that were going on, but everybody got out safely," Shepherd said.
Despite the minimal damage, it forced the sportsplex to cancel the remainder of events for the day. It was closed from Sunday afternoon through early Monday.
The sportsplex is reopening Monday afternoon.
"Yes, it looks like a lot of damage, but, in hindsight, it's not," Shepherd said. "It's just material, and there were no injuries. Everyone was safe."
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