Fire of unknown origin has destroyed a log-sided frame rental cabin in Wade’s Addition.
The blaze, which also engulfed an adjacent spruce trees, was first called in to Lake City Fire/Rescue firefighters at 1:58 a.m. on Thursday, May14, at which time the cabin — part of an eight- cabin rental complex at Wildflower Cabins — was fully engulfed.
Fighting the destructive blaze, according to Lake City Fire Chief Justin Thompson, was made all the more difficult by close proximity of other frame rental units in the resort as well as neighboring homes on Spruce Street, including both the Allison and Zairick Waddington home (former Pat and Jake Jacobs) and Donny and Jen Rightsell’s home across the street on Spruce Street, where residents aided firefighters with water hoses.
Also immediately adjacent to the burning cabin and within what Thompson refers to an “exposure containment zone” adding to the challenging conditions was a spruce tree fully ablaze and described as a “giant Roman Candle” by neighbors and three propane tanks which closely abutted the burning structure.
Fire Chief Thompson, who arrived on scene at 1:58 a.m., says the fire was contained by 2:15 a.m. Thursday. In addition to fire engines 91 and 93, and tanker 1, also on scene were firefighters Mike Carson, Evan Milski, Mike Ralph, R.E. Hall, Greg Levine, Matt Jones, Jared Fledge, Joel Collins, Rick Hernandez, and Mike Tuttle.
Thompson praises fire fighters for their quick and efficient response, saying “they did a spectacular job.”
Wildflower Cabins, purchased by Teresa and Robin Wagner — together with Chris and Amy Hoedebeck, who now own Wagon Wheel Resort, in September, 2021, is a popular, 72-year-old resort
Photographed by Kathleen Murphy, above, at 2 a.m., the fire also ignited an 80’-tall spruce tree adjacent to the cabin.
which has periodically been renamed and remodeled since its original construction in 1954.
Coincidentally, this is not the first destructive fire at the resort.
Built as a 10 cabin resort by Kline Shaver in 1953 and known as Kline’s Cabin, the resort was totally destroyed by fire in January, 1954.
Volunteer firefighters with a single pumper truck were summoned from an evening basketball game in the Armory to the blaze after a loud propane tank explosion was reported in Wade’s Addition.
One of the fire fighting volunteers, neighboring property owner Ben Griffiths, was injured when a door was blown off its hinges and he sustained a broken pelvis. The fire was contained but reignited the following morning and entirely destroyed the resort.
Undeterred, Kline Shaver quickly rebuilt the resort in time for the start of the 1954 tourist season.
The resort has undergone numerous name changes and names in subsequent years, including being renamed Red cloud Resort when owned by E.A. Baldridge, and Westwood Resort during the long proprietorship of Glen and Barbara Lohn.
