Fire destroys old barn at Moon country club
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The burned out remains of a barn, used as a locker room for the pool at Montour Heights Country Club in Moon, was destroyed by flames that broke out arond 4:30 a.m. Investigators are trying to determine the cause of blaze.
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A barn that dates back to the 1920s was completely destroyed by a fire early yesterday morning at the Montour Heights Country Club in Moon.
A passer-by called police at 4:17 a.m. to report that a large white barn, about 500 yards from the main clubhouse in the 1400 block of Coraopolis Heights Road, was on fire. Five stations responded, and it took crews about two hours to put out the fire.
Joshua Falvo, webmaster and technical administrator for the club, said he arrived at work shortly after 5:30 a.m.
"The flames were pretty much out -- it was just smoldering and smoky," he said. But the barn, which had been converted to house the snack bar and locker room for the pool, was destroyed.
He said people at the club were feeling sad yesterday about the loss of the barn, one of the original buildings on the property.
The grounds crew stored equipment like fertilizer in the barn, and that was lost as well. Some machinery was also in the barn, but Mr. Falvo said he was not sure what type. No one was injured in the fire, he said.
It remains unclear what caused the fire. Moon police said the Allegheny County fire marshal is investigating.
The barn was scheduled to close for the summer season next weekend when the pool closed, but the fire prompted the closing of the pool a week early, Mr. Falvo said.
The rest of the country club was open as usual yesterday, he said.
The Montour Heights Country Club was built on the private residence of Charles Lockhart McCune and includes a clubhouse, golf course, tennis courts, greenhouse and vineyard, according to the club's Web site.
First Published August 28, 2009 12:00 am
