July 8, 1988 Nissequogue FD-Commercial Structure Fire-Nissequogue Country Club 1988
A security guard trapped on a second-floor roof was rescued yesterday from a fire that caused more than $700,000 damage to the clubhouse at the Nissequogue Golf Club. With golfers playing uninterrupted, the top floor of the three-story mansion was destroyed in the blaze, which started in a third-floor storage room, said James Mahon III, first assistant chief of the Nissequogue Fire Department.
Arson is not suspected in the fire, which was also fought by firefighters from St. James, Nesconset, Centereach, Smithtown and Kings Park.
Mahon said the security guard, John Finn, who had gone upstairs to investigate the fire, became trapped on the second floor. “He went out a window onto the second-floor roof,” Mahon said. He was rescued by firefighter Robert Buchet, who persuaded the guard to come down a ladder to safety. Finn, who lives on the third floor of the clubhouse, was not injured.
The fire was brought under control within an hour and a half. The third floor was used for storage and as living quarters for employees. The building was occupied by approximately 15 people when the fire broke out – secretaries, maintenance people, the security guard and kitchen help. But the third floor was unoccupied at the time.
Sean Garvey, a golf pro at the club, said he was in the pro shop next to the main house when the fire broke out. “We started smelling smoke at about 8:15,” he said. “At first we thought it was from the kitchen. We thought they burned something. When we went out front, we saw the smoke coming out of the third floor.”
“There was a lot of internal damage,” Mahon said, with heavy smoke and water damage on the first two floors.
The club will continue to operate, said Edgar Senne, chairman of trustees. Most of the damage was in the center of the building, and the two wings that house the club’s kitchen and a grill are usable. A tent will also be used for meals.
“We will begin rebuilding tomorrow,” Senne said.
The mansion was the main house of the 126-acre William J. Ryan waterfront estate built in 1929. Ryan was the publisher of the Literary Digest, a widely read and highly respected national current events magazine. The downfall of the magazine came after they predicted a victory for Alf Landon over Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1936 presidential election. Mr. Ryan died in in 1966 after which time the Nissequogue Golf Club purchased the estate and converted it into its present use. The country club, which currently has 340 members, was founded in the late 1960s.
“Golf went on during the fire,” said Senne, who played a round himself after the fire “just to keep up the morale.”
Fire reported at 0910 hours. Fire causes damage to the 3rd floor. Nissequogue, Smithtown, St. James, Kings Park and Centereach FD’s all on scene.
Security guard John Flynn was rescued from a 2nd floor roof area after he became trapped while investigating the source of the smoke. Fire started in a 3rd floor storage room. Damage estimated at one million dollars.
Story and photos in 7-14-1988 Smithtown News
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