The Adirondac is 115-feet long and capable of carrying 400-passengers, and it became part of the Lake George Waterfront Cruises’ fleet in the summer of 2004. On Monday morning, the vessel — one of the largest tour boats on Lake George — caught fire.
Shortly before 7 a.m., a passerby reported that a tour boat appeared to be on fire. Warren County Director of Public Affairs Don Lehman says seven fire departments responded to the scene in Lake George.
“They had the fire knocked down a little over an hour but there was extensive damage to the boat. The Warren County Fire Cause and Origin team and the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control both have investigators on the scene trying to figure out how this fire started. This boat is used for cruises occasionally this time of year. They did have a couple cruises coming up, so it had not been dry docked. It still had electricity and was in use here while the lake’s still not frozen.”
The Adirondac, which was designed after late 19th century touring ships, was slated to sail through the end of the year.
Lehman was on scene and says firefighters battled the blaze in cold temperatures and windy conditions.
“Many of them are still on the scene. It’s been very cold, obviously a very tough morning to fight a fire. It was very windy down on the lake and water was freezing on the parking lot and the hill there which was very hazardous for everybody walking around. So, just an awful situation.”
In the immediate aftermath of the fire, Lehman adds, any contaminated water due to fire residue or chemicals from fighting the fire will be removed.
“They have the contaminated water in the boat. They’re going to pump that water out to a tank so it can be disposed of safely and not wind up in the lake. The DEC Spills Response team is on hand to help with that. So it’s going to be a process taking place later today.”
Lake George Mayor Ray Perry was notified of the fire shortly after it was reported.
“We as a village have offered any kind of help to Will and Katie Carson, the owners of the Adirondac, and they’ve thanked us and reached back out. DEC has been on the scene. There have been other concerns about our fresh water intake, which is nowhere near that. So there’s no concern there. And we had mutual aid. We’re going to be fine and no one got hurt. Ships can be replaced. People can’t.”
Lehman says the owners of the Adirondac were at the dock this morning.
“They were there this morning when I was there. I didn’t chat with them. They own some other businesses around the village so they’re well known in Lake George and they’re a good family and they’ve obviously built a good business here that a lot of people enjoy every summer in particular. We’re all hoping they can get back on their feet.”
Lehman says the preliminary investigation indicates the fire does not appear suspicious.
