Lightning strike blamed for Paul Smiths house fire

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Flames shoot from a house at 642 Keese Mills Road in Paul Smiths as firefighters send streams of water on the blaze. A lightning strike caused the Thursday blaze. P-R Photo / Jack LaDuke

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May 28, 2011

Four companies battle Paul Smiths blaze; tree exploded

KIM SMITH DEDAM Press-Republican The Press Republican Sat May 28, 2011, 03:28 AM EDT

PAUL SMITHS — Lightning from a fierce electrical storm sparked the massive fire that destroyed the house at 652 Keese Mills Road.

No one lived in the two-story building.

But it took four fire companies hours on Thursday to battle the blaze on a remote road off Route 30.

Todd Goff, fire investigator for the Paul Smiths-Gabriels Volunteer Fire Department, said lightning struck a nearby tree.

"It exploded the tree and followed the root system and ended up catching the house on fire. It was reported by a neighbor passing by in a car, and they said they could feel the radiant heat of the fire inside their car. They looked and saw the flames and called 911."

The call was dispatched at 12:42 p.m.

Already, the fire had leapt 50 feet skyward.

The house is owned by Douglas Martin of Saranac Lake.

"He hasn't lived there for years," Goff said.

STUBBORN BLAZE

The giant two-story wooden structure, with a crawl space and a basement below, was built in 1908.

"There were the difficult conditions of getting everyone out there and establishing a water supply, plus the building was so old, it had layers and layers of material. Everything inside baked under the metal roof."

Firefighters spent more than five hours putting the fire out, given its size and magnitude.

"It just took a long time to get at," Goff said.

More than 20 firefighters joined the effort, with mutual-aid assistance from Saranac Lake, Bloomingdale and St. Regis Falls volunteer fire departments.

Crews from Lake Placid Fire Department provided support at both Saranac Lake and Paul Smiths-Gabriels fire stations.

And Saranac firefighters stood by for Bloomingdale.

Goff said no one was injured fighting the stubborn blaze.

"All members at the fire scene were okay."

Email Kim Smith Dedam at: kdedam@pressrepublican.com