Damage to the 50-year-old lodge on the Gleneden Beach, Ore., property was estimated at “maybe $150,000 to $200,000.” In Ohio, a man has been arrested and charged with arson in connection to a fire that destroyed Madison (Ohio) Country Club in March.
An early-morning fire on May 20 at Salishan Spa & Golf Resort in Gleneden Beach, Ore., damaged the lodge’s roof and interior, the Portland-based Oregonian reported.
Depoe Bay Fire District crews responded about 1:30 a.m. after a night manager at the lodge discovered the fire and called 911. The fire broke out around the chimney near the ceiling of the two-story building, activating an alarm and sprinkler that sent water into the lobby, said General Manager Todd Cooley.
“We had fire damage around the fireplace, but the majority of the damage came from water,” Conley said. “We’re in great shape, almost back to normal.”
Cooley said damage to the 50-year-old structure was minimal, amounting to “maybe $150,000 to $200,000.” He said a more precise estimate would come after an insurance adjuster examines the building, the Oregonian reported.
No injuries were reported and no guests were evacuated. The lodge is one of about 20 buildings on the 250-acre property, Cooley said. Depoe Bay officials could not be reached for comment, the Oregonian reported.
Wednesday’s fire was the second in two months at the resort. On March 7, a small fire that began in two commercial dryers caused minor damage to the laundry building, according to Depoe Bay fire officials, the Oregonian reported.
New management at the Salishan resort launched a major renovation of the entire property about two weeks ago, Cooley said, anticipating it will be completed in time for a golden anniversary celebration in August, the Oregonian reported.
In Ohio, Paul B. Forner has been arrested and accused of starting a fire that destroyed Madison (Ohio) Country Club in March, the Lorain, Ohio-based Morning Journal reported.
Forner, 51, was arrested on May 18 and faces charges of first-degree felony aggravated arson and fourth-degree felony disrupting a public service, according to a news release from the Madison Township Police Department.
The arson accusation was increased to an aggravated charge because the act created substantial risk of serious physical harm to other people, the Morning Journal reported.
C&RB reported on the devastating blaze in March (“Madison (Ohio) CC Clubhouse a ‘Total Loss’ After Fire“).
Forner was arrested in Chardon by Madison Township Police and the U.S. Marshal’s Northeast Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force. Madison Township Detective Timothy Doyle in a phone interview said Forner was not an employee at the country club, but was employed by the owner of the country club at a different business. He would not detail a specific motive for the alleged crime, the Morning Journal reported.
While no accelerant was found at the scene of the fire, Doyle said the origin location of the fire “raised some eyebrows,” but he would also not specify where the fire started. More than 20 fire departments responded to the scene on March 12, the Morning Journal reported.
“Crews were out at the scene shortly afterwards putting water on it, but the fire was already through the roof,” Madison Fire District Chief Gene Lutz said at the scene on the day of the blaze.
Lutz also said they had some trouble getting water to the area, the Morning Journal reported.
“But it wouldn’t have mattered if we had all the water in the world, we wouldn’t have been able to put it out by the time we got here,” the chief said. “The fire began in the kitchen area and spread throughout the clubhouse. It was a total loss.”
No one was injured in the fire. The clubhouse, built in 1923, had been recently renovated by Rollin Cooke, who bought the golf course and clubhouse for $1.3 million in January 2013, the Morning Journal reported.
“Mr. Cooke loved the country club dearly,” Randy Klammer, an attorney for Cooke said May 19 in a statement on his behalf. “He was heartbroken the day it burned down and he was heartbroken again today to hear about the arrest.”
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.