Flames devour popular ski resort

CHERRY CREEK, N.Y. (WIVB) - News 4 Newstrackers captured the drama, as a popular southern tier ski resort was devoured by flames.

The fire began Monday evening around 10:30 p.m. and after seven hours, the fire at Cockaigne Ski Center is still burning. Fire crews are dousing the building with water, Tuesday morning.

"We arrived here, it was a fully engulfed structure fire. Half the building was completely engulfed," said Cherry Creek Fire Department Chief Jim Abbey.

A passing plow driver alerted firefighters to the massive flames that erupted at the Cockaigne Ski Center, in the Chautauqua County Town of Cherry Creek.

Witnesses as far as five miles away say they could see them clearly.

Gerry resident Tom Fairbanks said, "I could see the flames from my house in Gerry when I left to come to the fire. Flames were probably about a hundred feet above the roof. The fire was very intense, very intense."

Abbey said, "This for sure is one of the biggest fires Cherry Creek has had in a long time. One of the things we had is the arches they put on top of the building, we were really concerned about which way they were going to fall. And luckily they fell in."

The historic lodge that was once part of the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair is considered a total loss.

It's a devastating blow to the small community to which it meant so much.

"It can be rebuilt, it's just not going to be the same. It's been a fantastic winter and, you know, things were going so great. It is, it's just devastating," said Abbey.

Local resident Betty Milspaw said, "There's a lot of kids who learned how to ski around here, who are working here or were working here. It's very sad, very sad."