Ticonderoga, VT – Emerald’s Restaurant and the Ticonderoga Country Club were destroyed by a fast-moving fire late Saturday night.
Just after 10 p.m., Ticonderoga firefighters were called to a kitchen fire at the restaurant located at the Country Club and found it had spread to the entire building.
A reception was underway at the restaurant at the time, and Ticonderoga Fire Chief Matthew Watts said they found the building filled with flames.
While responding we were advised that there was an explosion with at least four people injured, with possible entrapment, he said.
Upon my arrival I was met by approximately 50 people outside and people still coming out from the building and fire on the first and second floor. Everyone was accounted for and mutual aid requests were made.
The building at 609 Route 9N was engulfed in flames.
Watts said Ticonderoga Emergency Squad sent two ambulances and Lamoille Ambulance also had two on scene to treat victims. All had burns and smoke inhalation.
Four patients received medical care at the University of Vermont Health Network Elizabethtown Community Hospital at Moses-Ludington (Hospital), Watts said. Three of those were transferred to the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington.
The names of the victims are not being released at this time, but all were workers in the restaurant’s kitchen.
The cause is undetermined and under investigation, Watts said.
Preliminary findings are that a propane tank may have exploded in the kitchen, injuring four workers there and starting the fire.
The Essex County Fire Investigation Unit and New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control had investigators at the fire site.
The fire was deemed under control at about 4 a.m. Sunday.
Most departments were released as of 5:40 a.m. with only a handful remaining on scene while an excavator starts demolishing pieces of the building to get to areas of fire that are unsafe to access, Watts said.
I want to extend my thanks and gratitude to everyone who responded and worked to bring this devastating fire under control, Watts said.
The restaurant was owned by Mark Wood. Officials said the building was insured.