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Fire Department Investigating Possible Arson at Tulsa Rowing Club Boathouse

A Sunday night fire at a Tulsa river park is being investigated as an arson case.

Tulsa Rowing Club President Scott Fujan said he came to check on their boat house last night after hearing about a grass fire at River West Festival Park.

"But when I got here, there was smoke billowing out of the big garage doors, and obviously something big [was] going on in there," Fujan said.

Someone broke into the boathouse, spray painted what appears to be a pentagram and a racial slur, and started a fire inside. The ceiling partially collapsed, and all of the club’s electronic rowing machines are likely ruined.

Fujan said the rowing machines are important.

"Especially for the winter time and the youth program that we run here. They're used all the time," Fujan said. "We have growing membership, and we need all the rowing machines that we can get."

Several of the rowing club’s boats were damaged, along with many of its oars. The damage is likely in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, though club representatives haven't been able to assess everything yet.

The fire happened just over a week after the club’s youth program held a fundraiser. Fujan hopes rowing programs can continue out of an adjacent building and nearby Crossfit gym.

Matt Trotter joined KWGS as a reporter in 2013. Before coming to Public Radio Tulsa, he was the investigative producer at KJRH. His freelance work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times and on MSNBC and CNN.