Iconic Lake George cruise ship ravaged by fire

LAKE GEORGE | The Adirondac tour boat on Lake George was heavily damaged by fire early Monday morning, and the fire remained under investigation by local and state fire investigators as of late Monday afternoon. The fire on the boat owned by Lake George Waterfront Cruises, located as 2 Kurosaka Lane, off Canada Street, was reported by Village of Lake George Public Works employees who spotted it when working in the area at 6:43 a.m. Firefighters from the Lake George Fire Department responded and found extensive fire burning inside the 115-foot-long boat and on its external decks as the boat was moored at its dock. The fire was whipped by winds on the lake, but was considered knocked down in about an hour with the aid of efforts that included a ladder truck and fire boat. Boats moored at adjacent docks were not believed to have been damaged. During the firefighting effort, the boat's hull was filled with a large amount of water that was considered potentially contaminated by chemicals from the fire. NY State Department of Environmental Conservation Spill Response team responded and was overseeing an effort to pump the water out of the boat to a tank for safe disposal Monday afternoon. No petroleum leak has been detected from the remains of the boat, but absorbent booms had been placed on the water around the boat as a precaution. The Warren County Fire Cause & Origin Team, made up of fire investigators from the Glens Falls Fire Department, was overseeing the investigation, assisted by the NY State Office of Fire Prevention and Control and Warren County Fire Coordinator's Office. The fire is not considered suspicious, but the cause remains under investigation. The boat's damage is too extensive for it to be moved, and it is anticipated that the fire-damaged portion will be dismantled on site. Mutual aid was provided to Lake George Fire Department by firefighters from the Bay Ridge, North Queensbury, Bolton and Warrensburg fire departments. The Greenfield Fire Department provided a bus to serve as a warming station for firefighters. The Warren County Sheriff's Office assisted at the scene, and the Lake George and Queensbury EMS squads were on hand as well. Lake George Fire Chief Jim Barber passed on his appreciation to all of the volunteers, municipal crews and state, Warren County and local partners who assisted at the fire scene. In a statement early Monday afternoon, Lake George Waterfront Marina officials said they were "deeply grateful for the overwhelming support, messages, and kindness we've received following the fire aboard the Adirondac. Our sincere thanks also go out to the first responders who acted swiftly and with great care. At this time, we are still awaiting official findings from the fire department and do not yet have confirmed information regarding the cause. We will continue to share updates as they come, including details surrounding our Frostbite event. This has been a heartbreaking moment for our Waterfront Family and our community, but we want to end on the note that matters most: the Adirondac will return with the same dedication, spirit, and heart that Lake George has known her for. Thank you for holding us close through this." Editor's Note: This article was updated from an earlier version following an official update from Warren County officials at 4 p.m.

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Iconic Lake George cruise ship ravaged by fire

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