Cause of Conneaut Lake cottage fire under investigation

Investigators are suspicious about an early Wednesday morning fire at a vacant summer cottage near Conneaut Lake.  The fire, which started before 1:45 a.m., badly damaged the structure in the 12-thousand block of Reed Avenue, in Summit Township. Crews from four departments responded.

Summit Township Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief and Fire Marshal Pete Albaugh:

“The fire was reported by a neighbor last night.  The fire department responded to a structure fire.  The building was  uninhabited before the fire.  At this time it’s undetermined.  We haven’t really decided what may have caused the fire, but there are no utilities, so we’re looking closely that something else might have happened here.  We’re concerned for the neighbors and the fire department.”

Albaugh told WUZZ the structure is owned by Andover, Ohio resident Dave Pachuck, who apparently also owns several of the neighboring properties, including an adjacent structure, also vacant, that sustained minor damage from the flames.

No injuries were reported.