Schroon Lake church destroyed by fire

SCHROON LAKE — A church and neighboring building were destroyed in a late-afternoon fire on Route 9 in Schroon Lake Wednesday, officials said. 

Both buildings were vacant at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported, Schroon Lake Fire Chief Larry Shiell said. 

Dispatchers said they received 911 calls for a fire at Schroon Lake Community Church just after 3 p.m. When firefighters arrived, they could see flames coming out of the historic building. 

The fire quickly spread to a neighboring parsonage. 

“This was not just a church, it was the center of town,” said Diane Leah told The Sun newspaper. “This is a great loss to everyone in this town.”

Shiell said both buildings are a total loss. No other downtown business or homes were damaged by the fire. 

Multiple fire companies assisted in putting out the blaze. Firefighters from Schroon Lake, North Hudson, Chilson, Pottersville, Horicon, Chestertown, and Ticonderoga were dispatched.