Discarded Cigarette Causes $2 Million In Damage In Upstate New York

Having spent a lot of time in southern Arizona in my youth, fire safety is something I spent a lot of time thinking about.

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Obviously, it's not as massive of a problem here in Upstate, NY, but in incidents like this one, we're reminded we always have to stay vigilant.

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Fire at Arrowhead

On May 23rd at around 10:30 a.m., a fire broke out at Arrowhead Golf Course in Akron, NY. Fire Crews arrived to find heavy smoke billowing from The Sterling, the event venue at Arrowhead.

Luckily, the sprinkler system worked as it should, and was able to protect the building from serious damage. The Newstead Fire Company was on-site and able to stop the burn completely. Renovations and repairs are already underway.

How Did This Happen?

After a look by fire investigators, it was determined the fire was started by someone improperly disposing of a cigarette. It likely was not fully extinguished, and was able to spread the flame through other flammables in the area.

All in all, the damage was estimated at around $2 Million: $1.5 million to the structure and $500,000 to the contents.

This is a great reminder to always practice fire safety. Make sure you're always properly disposing of cigarettes in the proper receptacles, douse your campfires completely when finished with them, and ensure your vehicle has no dragging metal that could cause sparks. Just remember, fire prevention starts with you, and can keep you out of a whole mess of trouble. For more information, visit the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services.