The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service issued a public apology on Friday after an incident the previous evening led to the cancellation of a Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts baseball game.
According to a social media post from the team — which plays in the collegiate Cal Ripken League — a video showed water being sprayed onto the field at Montgomery Blair High School during Thursday night’s warmups. The excessive water rendered the field unplayable and forced the game’s cancellation.
The incident reportedly stemmed from a baseball hit over the outfield fence during batting practice, which landed in the parking lot of nearby Fire Station 16 and damaged a volunteer firefighter’s pickup truck. In what appeared to be retaliation, a fire hose was used to douse the field with water.
“We sincerely apologize to the players, teams, Cal Ripken League, and all fans affected by this disruption,” said Fire and Rescue spokesperson Pete Piringer, noting that the matter is under active investigation. As of Friday night, no disciplinary actions had been announced.
Piringer stated the department is working with Maryland-National Capital Park Police to gather all the facts. “The fire station and ball field have coexisted for years,” he added. “We take this seriously and recognize the impact it’s had on the community.”
The Thunderbolts have expressed concern about whether their home field will remain usable for the remainder of the season.
