No details on how it started but this definitely seems suspicious... https://www.yourerie.com/news/breaking-news/fire-reported-at-the-blue-streak-roller-coaster-at-conneaut-lake-park/

1 hour ago, Oldiesmann said:

No details on how it started but this definitely seems suspicious... https://www.yourerie.com/news/breaking-news/fire-reported-at-the-blue-streak-roller-coaster-at-conneaut-lake-park/

It was a demolition and controlled burn that got out of hand. 

I missed that part last night. Makes me wonder whether the coaster was really in bad shape or if this is part of the new owner's "plan" to revitalize the park. They've of course limited commenting on their FB post about it and the one sharing a news article about residents' reactions to the fire.

I'm glad I was able to ride it when I visited in 2016.

Also an interesting report from a local paper: https://www.meadvilletribune.com/news/fire-heavily-damages-conneaut-lake-parks-blue-streak-demolition-permit-to-be-issued-wednesday/article_ba3a2bf6-6dba-11ec-af2f-d79c8c461eec.html

They claim that the fire was due to a controlled burn that got out of hand, but mention nothing about the park being in the process of demolishing the coaster at the time, but that the park requested a permit to demolish the ride after the fire.

According to the parks own Facebook page.  They claim to have a demolition permit and they started tearing down the ride the morning of the fire.  It sounds like the fire was to dispose of the wood from the coaster and it got out of hand and burned other buildings.

How did they get a demolition permit and how did no one find out?  It all seems strange.

I don’t know of many parks that intentionally burn the wood from a wooden coaster to “dispose” of the wood and admit to that. The Facebook post evens says that a burn permit was issued. 
 

Seems like a EPA violation to me. 

16 hours ago, Kenban said:

According to the parks own Facebook page.  They claim to have a demolition permit and they started tearing down the ride the morning of the fire.  It sounds like the fire was to dispose of the wood from the coaster and it got out of hand and burned other buildings.

How did they get a demolition permit and how did no one find out?  It all seems strange.

 

The report from the fire chief paints a different picture... https://www.meadvilletribune.com/news/update-the-blue-streak-is-gone/article_9a808b2a-6dc4-11ec-a0ed-97a6838b21ee.html

Quote

O’Meara said the fire started due to a controlled burn of old wood which was being performed by park staff. O’Meara said while the burn of one pile was taking place, the wind shifted and also caught an adjacent pile on fire without initially being noticed by workers. It was from this second pile that flames were able to reach the Blue Streak, according to the chief.

This makes far more sense than a mechanical malfunction occurring during a sudden unannounced demolition, but it makes me wonder why the park would choose to tell a different story. Hopefully there will be a thorough investigation into what happened.