AN ACR MD83 WAS DAMAGED DURING PUSHBACK. FLC WAS NOT TOLD THAT THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED. FLT DEPARTED AND DAMAGE WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL ARR AT THE DEST; BY GND PERSONNEL.

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PUSHED BACK FROM GATE AT ORD WITH AN ACR B727 RIGHT NEXT TO US. WE WERE PUSHED STRAIGHT BACK OUT OF GATE AND THE TUG STARTED TO TURN US TO FACE OUR NOSE OUT TOWARD TXWYS. TUG STOPPED WITH NOSE COCKED 90 DEGS TO THE R. AT THAT POINT I WAS TOLD TO SET BRAKES. WITH NOSEWHEEL COCKED TO R AND THE B727 IN FRONT OF US; I SET BRAKES AND SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR WING WALKER TO CLR THE ACR. WE WERE DISCONNECTED; SHOWN THE PIN AND THE CREW WAS GONE; WALKING AWAY WITH THEIR BACKS TOWARD US. WE CAREFULLY MADE THE TURNOUT WITHOUT WING WALKERS. FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND ARRIVED EARLY TO CUN. ON ARR GND HANDLER CAME UP TO COCKPIT AS WE DEPLANED AND TOLD US THAT OUR ACFT WAS DAMAGED. LARGE DENT IN TAIL. WE KNEW WE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING IN CUN. I WENT OUT TO LOOK AND IT WAS OBVIOUS WHY ORD CREW STOPPED PUSHBACK WHERE THEY DID; AND WHY THEY DIDN'T STAY TO WALK WING BY THE ACR B727. IT IS THIS CREW'S OPINION THAT THE PUSHBACK CREW KNEW WHAT THEY DID AND WERE AWARE OF THE STRIKE -- THAT IS WHY THEY STOPPED US AT THE ODD ANGLE AND LEFT ASAP. I DON'T BELIEVE THE CREW LOOKED FOR OR CARED ABOUT DAMAGE TO OUR ACFT. THEY JUST FEARED FOR THEIR JOBS. THIS IS NEGLIGENT AND PUT CREW AND PAX IN POSSIBLE DANGER. PRELIMINARY INTERVIEWS WITH GND CREW SHOWS THAT WING WALKERS THOUGHT WE HIT FENCE AND TOLD CREW CHIEF; BUT HE SAID HE DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING. MY CONCERN IS THAT HE ALLOWED US TO TAKE OFF WITH SUBSTANTIAL TAILCONE DAMAGE AND NOT LOOKING OR ADVISING THIS CREW OF IT. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS GND CREW WAS TERMINATED. ACFT WAS AN MD83. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE TAILCONE SKIN WAS DENTED AND TORN 6 INCHES BELOW RUDDER SECTION. THE FLC NOTICED NOTHING UNUSUAL DURING THEIR 4 HR FLT TO CANCUN; EXCEPT 1/2 NOTCH OF RUDDER TRIM. THE MECH WHO REPAIRED THE ACFT TOLD THE CAPT THAT THEY WERE FORTUNATE AS THE TAIL COULD HAVE BEEN AERODYNAMICALLY RIPPED OFF; INFLT; WITH THIS TYPE OF DAMAGE. IN A CONGESTED GATE AREA; THE MD83 HAD BEEN PUSHED INTO A CEMENT BLAST FENCE WITH CHAIN LINK ON TOP. THE TAIL SECTION SKIN WAS TORN AND DENTED FROM THE CHAIN LINK FENCE. ONE OF THE WING WALKERS HAD CROSSED WANDS WHEN CONTACT WITH THE FENCE WAS IMMINENT; BUT THE TUG DRIVER FAILED TO SEE THE SIGNAL. WHEN THE WING WALKER TOLD HIM OF THE DAMAGE; HE DID NOT RESPOND. HE WAS FIRED FOR HIS NEGLIGENCE.