LAKE PLACID — A major fire destroyed businesses and displaced residents at the Meyer building on 2519 Main St. here Saturday night, although officials said it could have been even worse.
The Ironman competition got off without delay this morning, even though a fire rekindle kept firefighters busy until about 8 a.m.
The huge fire was contained in almost exactly 12 hours, from the first call reporting flames on the third floor facing the waterfront at about 6:20 p.m. Saturday to the 6:30 a.m. gunshot for the Ironman swim start in Mirror Lake, just behind the burned structure.
Some 2,798 competitors entered the water, protected from any debris or pollutants by swooping oil booms that laced the shore in front of the fire site.
BOOM PLACED
Essex County Emergency Services Director Donald Jaquish said the New York State Department of Health tested the waters at 5 a.m. for pollutants or any debris.
He said the State Department of Environmental Conservation had placed an oil boom, which looks like a big floating water hose, for protection.
“It’s circled in back of the building to keep the 1 million gallons of runoff from water used to fight the fire,” Jaquish said.
Lake Placid Mayor Craig Randall said they placed the booms strategically for two reasons.
“One, we knew the water put into the building to put the fire out would wash into Mirror Lake. And two, we knew the debris was washing down the storm drains,” Randall told the Press-Republican on Sunday morning.
“So we wanted to protect the water as best we could. The DEC Spill Response Team installed the booms around midnight."
By that time, the bulk of the fire had been knocked down, the mayor said.
“They’re working, they’re effective, so the swim course was protected,” Randall said.
“Everything came off with no hitches.”
He said via social media: “Many thanks go out to the Lake Placid firefighters and those who provided mutual aid and to all the Village Departments who lent assistance.
“Thank you to Governor Andrew Cuomo's Office for reaching out and providing DEC’s Spill Response Team and Department of Health assistance. And good luck to all competitors,” Randall said.
RESIDENTS DISPLACED
The Meyer building, however, didn’t fare so well.
Jaquish was on site at 5 a.m. along with the Essex County Fire Investigation Unit and the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
“The building is badly burned. The roof is gone. And the third floor is heavily damaged,” Jaquish said.
The Meyer building holds eight apartments, and all occupants have been displaced by the blaze.
Jaquish said the Red Cross has provided assistance to residents.
CAUSE UNKNOWN
As of 9 a.m. Sunday, investigators had not pinpointed the cause of the fire.
“We know where, we just don’t know how,” Jaquish said. “It was in a rear apartment on the third floor.”
The Art Deco structure was built almost a century ago.
“It’s not on the (historic) register, but they would really like to preserve it if they can,” Jaquish said.
But Randall said it’s likely the Meyer building is a total loss.
“The roof collapsed down into the building, and the top two floors are where most of the fire was contained.”
'SAD LOSS'
A locally owned gift and collectibles shop, Fortunes of Time occupied the Main Street storefront.
Store owner Marianne Hawley also owns the building, along with Imagination Station, two storefronts to the north.
“If you walk by, you can still see all the merchandise in the windows,” Randall said.
The antique shop one building north of the Meyer building and Imagination Station also sustained water damage.
The upper floors of the adjacent Wanda building, to the south, were also scorched as fire spread, the mayor said.
“There are six apartments on multiple floors on that side of the building that were exposed to water damage,” the mayor said.
The Wanda building housed three local businesses that also sustained damage: Two Harts, Goose Watch wine-tasting boutique and the expansive newsstand at Newman’s News.
“We’re not sure what the future status of the Meyer building is. The walls are standing, whether it can be restored or not, I’m almost doubtful.
"Years ago, it was Meyer’s Drug Store; the upstairs floors housed the New York Telephone Company, with the switchboards and operators for Lake Placid. There’s some history in that building. If it comes down, it’ll be a sad loss to the street.”
Randall had not spoken with the business owners or displaced residents early Sunday, as they finished testing Mirror Lake and ensuring no further rekindle.
“My guess is most of the businesses have had water damage. It’s an insurance issue, at this point.”
'AMAZING JOB'
The buildings on Lake Placid’s historic Main Street are packed tight together, side by side, some with just a few feet between them.
All here are crediting Lake Placid Volunteer Fire Department and mutual-aid assistance from eight neighboring volunteer fire companies with preventing what could have been a bigger disaster.
“Considering the age of the building and the way it’s constructed, they did an amazing job putting it out. It could have taken down the whole block,” Jaquish said.
“It is amazing, given the proximity to several other buildings on Main Street. That fire could have carried to three or four other buildings,” Randall said.
Lake Placid Fire Chief Torry Hoffman could not be reached Sunday morning for an interview.
But firefighters had returned fire equipment to service about 8:45 a.m., according to fire officials working at the fire station.
“Certainly, tremendous appreciation to all the volunteer firefighters that were on scene from Lake Placid and surrounding communities, in addition to crews from all Lake Placid municipal departments," Randall said.
"It was a very, very busy night, and the Lake Placid Police Department managed to keep people safe," Randall said.
Firefighting equipment was left on Main Street overnight, the mayor said, to guard against rekindle and avoid having to clear access routes amid the intense Ironman bike and run portions of competition.
“The street itself was pretty much cleaned up last night," Randall said.
HOTEL AFFECTED
Some guests in Lake Placid were evacuated during the fire as a precaution, the mayor said.
“The North Woods Inn was evacuated for a period of time. Those people were able to get back in later in the evening.
"I was speaking with Peter Holdereid, an owner at the Golden Arrow Resort. They were not evacuated, but he had indicated that because of disturbance in the drinking water supply, they were providing bottled water to guests.
“I had heard between 800,000 to a million gallons of water were used to put out the fire. I do know that it was enough to require the village to draw from the reserve water supply as well as the water pumping station," Randall said.
“If it weren’t for the support and all the volunteers working in concert, it would have been a lot worse.”
Email Kim Smith Dedam:
Twitter: @KimDedam
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