By Lohr McKinstry
The Press-Republican,
LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. — The tour boat Adirondac caught fire Monday morning with the top deck engulfed in flames.
The fire apparently started on the upper deck bow and pilot house of the 115-foot-long boat at about 6:45 a.m.
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The vessel was operated by Waterfront Cruises of Lake George, and the boat had been berthed at the company’s docks in downtown Lake George village.
Lake George, North Queensbury and Bay Ridge firefighters were called to the fire and had it out by 7:20 a.m., according to reports from the scene, but the vessel was extensively damaged. The company was not open at the time of the fire.
Fire officials were concerned with environmental cleanup following the fire since the boat contained plastics, varnish and other chemicals. Water trapped in the boat by firefighting efforts also had to be pumped out for disposal.
The cause is unknown, and fire investigators from the state and Warren County were at the boat conducting an investigation Monday.
Beach Road in Lake George, where the boat is located, is closed until further notice. No injuries were reported fighting the fire.
Waterfront Cruises added the vessel in 2004. It was designed to resemble a turn-of-the-century steamboat. It could carry up to 400 people.
The boat was booked to go out on Santa cruises throughout December and a New Year’s Frostbite cruise on Jan. 1 .
The ship normally takes passengers on a cruise of the lake between Lake George village at the south end and Ticonderoga at the north.
Their second vessel, the Horicon, is out of service for the winter.
Lake George Waterfront Cruises is owned by Katie and Will Carson of Saratoga Springs.
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