Officials probe massive, back-to-back fires in Sullivan County

A warehouse on Jefferson Street in Monticello almost entirely burned to the ground on Sunday and officials say what’s left of it will be demolished.

Blaise Gomez

Oct 30, 2024, 5:24 AM

Updated 3 days ago

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Two massive, back-to-back fires at a Sullivan County warehouse and an iconic hotel this week remain under investigation.
Smoldering hotspots and collapsed cinderblocks are all that remain as of Wednesday at one of the locations - the abandoned Pines Hotel on Laurel Avenue in Fallsburg. Officials say the fire began at the iconic site Tuesday afternoon and spread to five buildings
Images of the intense fire were captured by rescuers and people driving by.
The blaze is the second in less than two years at the once popular Borscht Belt hotel. State police say no wrongdoing was involved in the first incident and that the cause of Tuesday’s fire remains under investigation.
The property is among several defunct hotels in the Catskills that have had fires in recent months and are known to have a history of trespassers and “ghost hunters,” according to officials.
It’s also the second major fire in Sullivan County this week.
A warehouse on Jefferson Street in Monticello almost entirely burned to the ground on Sunday and officials say what’s left of it will be demolished.
Authorities say that fire is also under investigation.
Folks in the area say the back-to-back incidents are a concern.
“It’s just crazy, man,” says Rick Williams, of Forrestburgh.
The Pines Hotel has been closed for decades and is owned by the Monroe-based Fallsburg LLC, according to online records. A search online shows that the Monticello property has ties to Fiona Real Estate Inc.
News 12 reached out to numbers we found for both companies but were hung up on or sent to voicemail.
State police and the Sullivan County Bureau of Fire are investigating both fires in the county this week.