The rooftop of the building at the Southampton, N.Y., property caught fire on April 18, possibly ignited by a spark from a worker’s saw and exacerbated by winds. Damage was limited to a single story on one side of the clubhouse, but club officials did not comment.
The clubhouse at National Golf Links of America in Southampton, N.Y., was “significantly” damaged on April 18 by a roof top blaze possibly ignited by a spark from a worker’s saw, the Long Island, N.Y., Newsday reported.
“The bulk of the building was not damaged,” said Jay Schneiderman, Southampton Town supervisor, who was briefed by the police.
Southampton Fire Department spokesman Don King said as many as 125 firefighters and emergency medical technicians responded to the fire, which was called in at 11:36 a.m. and contained by around 1:30 p.m., Newsday reported.
“The damage was contained to a single story on the east side; it had significant damage done to it,” King said. “It was really a very, very difficult operation because it was actually in the roofing area, and it is a stucco building.”
Firefighters had to use axes to reach the flames and the clubhouse was evacuated, King said. Some firefighters suffered minor injuries that were treated at the scene, Newsday reported.
No officials with the golf course responded to requests for comment. The course opened in 1911 and was designed by C.B. Macdonald, Newsday reported.
“Obviously, it’s a very important building, and a very important part of the economy,” Schneiderman said. “A significant portion of the roof was damaged by the fire, and the water used to put out the fire caused some water damage to the second floor.”
Some club artifacts were “removed and preserved and not damaged,” Schneiderman said. Its collections included old prints and photographs, oil portraits of club presidents, a bronze statue of the founder in his golfing togs, and a rare collection of golf literature, Sports Illustrated reported in 1968, Newsday reported.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, King said. Wednesday’s breezes might have played a role in allowing it to spread, Newsday reported.
“A construction worker who was doing work on the roof saw a spark, sparks coming off from a saw he was using to cut some metal up there, and the spark ignited a roof fire,” Schneiderman said. “He went to get a fire extinguisher but the winds accelerated the fire [and] they called the fire department.”
The private 18-hole course covers 253 acres along the Peconic Bay, Newsday reported.
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