Three campers at New York’s Lower Saranac Lake Campground were evicted when they caused a dangerously large fire by trying to start it using gasoline.
At about 8:19 p.m., Aug. 27, the Saranac Lake Fire Department and two park rangers were dispatched to a campsite at a Lower Saranac Lake Campground island after receiving a call about an out-of-control campfire.
Estimated to be 2,500 square feet, the fire’s flames were finally extinguished by the fire department at about 12:45 a.m.
The campers admitted that one of them had started the fire by using gasoline from a plastic can as an accelerant and that the fire quickly spread beyond the ring, forcing the trio to flee in their boat. One camper said that the fire quickly jumped back to the plastic can and left a trail of flames as he tried to toss the container away.
A 28-year-old person not further identified was issued two tickets: one for failing to clear brush at least three feet away from a fire ring and another for not having enough personal floatation devices in a boat.
Rangers escorted the trio back to the campsite to get their gear and evicted them from the campground.
One of the campers had minor burns, similar to a sunburn, on his lower leg.
##RVT1173b
Good heavens, I hope these clowns don’t ever camp out west. We don’t need another massive fire caused in this way.
The campers should be fined heavily and made to pay the cost to restore everything damaged by the fire. Also for the time and expenses incurred by the fire departments.
Stupidity costs $$$$$$$
This is something that he should have learned before he was allowed to leave his back yard
Thank you, RV Travel! 🙂 Well, that is a fine thing! 🤔😯 🙁 Almost setting the campground on fire AND not sticking around to help extinguish the fire!?! I wonder what monetary penalty the two issued tickets carry? Thanks again, have a great day, safe travels, and safe stays! 🙂
After a $10,000 fine and one year in prison, that would give them plenty of time to rethink about using gasoline once again to start a campfire. Unfortunately, it is a well known fact that you “can’t fix stupid!”
The original article explains it took the firefighters FOUR HOURS to get the fire knocked down!
….another one born every minute! Good grief!
Yup! Starting a fire with gasoline is just plain dangerous. A memory … we were camping at Casper Beach on the coast of CA, and had walked to the beach to watch a huge pile of wood being stacked for a celebration campfire. Someone used a 5gal can of gas to start dowsing the wood and you could smell the fumes really strong. My wife and I literally ran back to the campground and waited. About 5 minutes later, there was a loud “thump”, and ball of fire reaching 30 or 40 feet into the air that we could see from across Hwy1, in the campground about 100 yards away … We never did go back to see how many people were knocked down or barbequed in the fireball! Wow!
“Hey, hold my beer and watch this”!!!!
Stupid people should not breed. However, as we all know, half the population will always have a below average IQ as well as a cell phone and a driver’s license.
No jail time, large fines plus restitution, loss of boat. The fine and costs associated stay on their record until completely repaid.
Dumb a***s