Mystery Unfolds as Teen Arsonists Take Down 170-Year-Old Historic Mill in Upstate New York
Plans To Redevelop The Victory Mills Site
In recent years, the mill had mostly been used for teens to have parties or as a place where squatters stayed, but given how prominent it was, Vanarnum said she had mixed feelings about it. Of course, the village had already been planning to raze the mill anyway later this summer.
“The property owner is going to get it on the ground, and then we’re actually trying to expedite the process of the village taking ownership of it,” said Victory Mayor Corey Helwig. “Nothing has changed in the plan going forward.”
Victory Mills Fire Department/FacebookIt is unclear how much the village paid for the property.
Helwig added that he hopes to redevelop the site into a senior living center and space for new businesses. It is not clear how much the village paid for the property.
“Through tragedy and devastation, I think it’s going to be a great benefit to the village,” Helwig said.
Meanwhile, the investigation into how the fire started continues. While the two 14-year-olds have been charged, few other details about the case have been made public.
According to a statement from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, the teens “are accused of intentionally damaging a building by starting a fire and of knowingly and unlawfully remaining in a building which was fenced in or otherwise enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders.”
Saratoga town Supervisor Ian Murray called the fire “devastating,” and said the loss has “deeply impacted” the community.
“To understand the weight of this moment: the mill is more than just a building,” he said. “It’s part of the very foundation of Victory… Though the plant ultimately closed in 2000, its towering presence has remained a symbol of our village’s industrial legacy and resilience.”
Demolition has now begun on the hollowed-out mill, with the Victory Fire Department standing by in case this cataclysmic fire reignites.
After reading about the devastating fire at Victory Mills, learn all about the eerie ghost town of Centralia, Pennsylvania, where a fire has been raging since 1962. Then, read about the harrowing Cuyahoga River fire that changed America.
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