DUNNAMAN FC have said the community spirit they experienced following Friday’s arson incident at their facilities has softened the blow of watching their equipment go up in smoke.
On Friday evening a member of the community alerted a committee member of the Kilkeel club to a fire that had started at one of their three storage cabins at around 9pm.
Chairperson Kieran Greene and committee members Emma Mulligan and Christopher Mulligan were the first club members to arrive on the scene.
They saw the cabin and its contents of chairs and equipment going up in flames.
According to Teresa Greene, Dunnaman FC Secretary, it was a horrific moment.
“They were absolutely horrified when they saw it. The work we put in to provide a service to the community, to young kids and adults, to have someone turn around and do this, it knocks the heart out of you.”
The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) confirmed that they attended a storage container on fire on Greencastle Road, Kilkeel, on Friday night.
Two appliances from Kilkeel Fire Station attended the incident, and firefighters used two hose reel jets to extinguish the fire. NIFRS said the cause of the fire is believed to be deliberate ignition and the incident was dealt with by 9.59pm.
But there was little that could be done to save the equipment. They lost chairs, tables and gazebos as well as a small amount of football equipment and gym equipment.
All in all that was worth hundreds of pounds, while the cabin is likely to cost thousands to replace.
“Luckily there was not a huge lot of football stuff there. It is an expensive time of the year for us,” Teresa said.
