Attn: Lexington KY shooters, Bluegrass Range on FIRE.......

Site Notices

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Attn: Lexington KY shooters, Bluegrass Range on FIRE.......

Posted: 9/14/2004 1:14:58 PM EDT

The Bluegrass Indoor Range is burning up right now.

I can see flames from where I am at least 10-15' above the roof lines of the area. And news reports are reporting the firefighters battling a structure fire with a lot ammunition in the building.

That building isn't very big, and with the flames I can see, I'd say it will be a total loss no doubt.

Posted: 9/14/2004 1:40:38 PM EDT

[#1]

never been there but that sucks ass...CONSPIRACY!!!

Posted: 9/14/2004 1:54:17 PM EDT

[#2]

Betting on a deranged Liberal arsonist, flipped out over the AWB expiration.

Posted: 9/14/2004 2:29:13 PM EDT

[#3]

Lol, that was one of my first thoughts as well. Some sKerry supporter freaked out over assault weapons and set fire to the range.

No word yet on what the real cause might have been. But I just saw some video footage on the news and the roof had caved in on the whole place and it was all going up fast. This was a very nice indoor pistol range, first class. Oh well, she's gone now

Posted: 9/14/2004 2:32:42 PM EDT

[#4]

Since it appears that all the KY antis seem to concentrate in Lexington and Louisville, foul play is not out of the question.

Posted: 9/14/2004 3:10:47 PM EDT

[#5]

Hmm....so true, gordo99, so true.

Posted: 9/14/2004 3:18:27 PM EDT

[#6]

Damn, that really sucks.

Posted: 9/14/2004 3:19:49 PM EDT

[#7]

Well, insurance should do the place well; considering all the insurance that really needs to be taken out on an indoor range...

But, it's a real bad loss, regardless

What kind of inventory did they have, if any?

Posted: 9/14/2004 3:29:43 PM EDT

[#8]

The building was a concrete block building with concrete interior walls and floors. The only flamable material would be that in the ceiling. My guess would be they did not clean out the air filtration system as they were supposed to and that caught on fire.

It was a nice building and it's a shame we lost it. Hopefully something better will be built back in it's place.

Posted: 9/14/2004 3:31:45 PM EDT

[#9]

Here's the first news report.

Lexington firefighters battled a two-alarm fire Tuesday a shooting range on Enterprise Drive, off of Old Frankfort Pike.

Fire Crews were called to the Bluegrass Indoor range around four, when they arrived heavy smoke and flames were visible.

Chief Bob Hendricks says it was a difficult fire to fight because the fire started in the center of the building. Crews also took extra precaution because ammunition is believed to be stored in the building.

The flames were knocked down by six, but firefighters say the building is a complete loss.

Posted: 9/14/2004 3:34:58 PM EDT

[#10]

Didn't they just make flamethrowers legal again? I knew this stuff would happen.

Really, Sorry for the loss of a range structure. Glad noone was hurt.

Posted: 9/14/2004 3:50:34 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
Well, insurance should do the place well; considering all the insurance that really needs to be taken out on an indoor range...

But, it's a real bad loss, regardless What kind of inventory did they have, if any?

Inventory never was too loaded, still kind of a new place, and they didn't really get into the military style arms. I don't think I've ever seen an AR rifle on the shelves. Mostly they are the certified GLOCK dealer for the KY State Police, so lots of Glocks. I guess you could say there are gobs of GLOCKS there, or maybe now....Glock globs ( rim shot!).

(yea, yea, that was pretty bad I know)

As Swire said though, hopefully an even better facility will be built in it's place after the smoke and insurance clears. I know originally they wanted to allow .223 on the range, but the noise level was too bad. The backstop was rated for it, but the sound level for the area was not. Maybe they can come up with a better sound proofing deal on the new building, who knows. Look at the bright side, right?

Posted: 9/15/2004 3:32:07 AM EDT

[#12]

This mornings update:

Indoor shooting range burns

No injuries reported; cause undetermined

By Cassondra Kirby

HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITERS

Exploding bullets, thick billowing smoke and bright-orange flames made for a-dangerous mix at a business on Enterprise Drive yesterday-afternoon.

No one was injured, however, when the Bluegrass Indoor Range, a public shooting range, caught fire.

Lexington Fire Chief Bob Hendricks could not say what caused the fire in the 200-by-60-foot building, but a witness said it could have been an electrical problem.

"Something in the ceiling started it," said John Landreth, who was using the shooting range when the fire started. "I saw sparks fly from the ceiling and part of the ceiling fell down. It was very, very fast."

Hendricks could not confirm where it started, but said the roof did collapse fairly early into the fire.

It is unclear how many people were in the 2-year-old building when the fire started, but Landreth said employees were quick to evacuate.

He said they attempted to put the fire out themselves, but it was uncontrollable.

According to January 2004 Fayette County Property records, Leslie B. Wallace owns the property at 1051 Enterprise Drive, where the shooting range is located.

Hendricks and Landreth could not confirm whether Wallace still owns the shooting range.

When firefighters arrived, moving in and out of the dark smoke around the outside of the building, they couldn't do much but watch it burn.

Three firefighters, suspended on a firetruck ladder over the building, controlled high-powered water hoses. Their hoses didn't appear to slow the massive flames for the first hour of the fire, however.

"It will take some time to put it out," Hendricks said.

As a safety precaution from the exploding ammunition, Hendricks said firefighters were not going inside the building, but fighting its flames from the outside.

Without a gun barrel to provide a projectile for the bullets that were stored in the building, they were not as dangerous, Hendricks said. They would typically just explode inside the building but he said he wasn't taking any chances.

Hendricks said he had seen a couple of used shells outside the building.

Buildings near the Bluegrass Indoor Range were not damaged by the fire.

Posted: 9/15/2004 3:35:38 AM EDT

[#13]

Go here for a video clip of the fire. wkyt.com/Global/story.asp?S=2300260

Click on "Two-Alarm Fire at Lexington Shooting Range"

Posted: 9/15/2004 4:00:55 AM EDT

[#14]

I thought bullets didn't explode in fires....

Posted: 9/15/2004 4:12:13 AM EDT

[#15]

Great example of how valuable a fire sprinkler system can be. If that building was adequately sprinklered, above (wood sturcture roof trusses) and below the ceiling to NFPA 13 codes, the buiding would probably be open for business again next week.

Posted: 9/15/2004 4:22:02 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Great example of how valuable a fire sprinkler system can be. If that building was adequately sprinklered, above (wood sturcture roof trusses) and below the ceiling to NFPA 13 codes, the buiding would probably be open for business again next week.

I'm pretty sure the building had a sprinkler system, at least below the ceiling line.

Posted: 9/15/2004 4:37:11 AM EDT

[#17]

No kidding? I just assumed it didn't, especially since none of the news reports I'v seen or heard mentioned anything about sprinklers either. It's been a little while since I was in the store, just can't remember noticing the sprinkler system when I have been there ( I work in the fire sprinkler industry ).

Any fire that starts above the ceiling is a tough one to fight. Most people want to delete the sprinklers above the ceiling when they can for $$ savings, but they don't realize that that is the most vital area for a combustable constructed building, especially with all the mechanical being located up there.

Posted: 9/15/2004 4:43:36 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
I thought bullets didn't explode in fires....

Yup they can and do.

Boom

Wolf

Posted: 9/15/2004 5:06:46 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
No kidding? I just assumed it didn't, especially since none of the news reports I'v seen or heard mentioned anything about sprinklers either. It's been a little while since I was in the store, just can't remember noticing the sprinkler system when I have been there ( I work in the fire sprinkler industry ).

I remember seeing the sprinklers and thinking "It's an entirely concrete building with concrete floors and glass display cases, what could catch on fire". My guess is still that they didn't clean the air handling system properly and it probably started the fire, which then would have blown burning gun power/lead dust all throughout the system.

In the video clip the guy says that he saw the fire start in the ceiling, in which case having all the sprinklers below that wouldn't have done any good.

Posted: 9/15/2004 8:29:21 AM EDT

[#20]

NNNNOOOOO!!! Say it isn't so! That was the nicest indoor range I've been to.

Maybe a tracer round in the ceiling...Do ya think?

Posted: 9/15/2004 8:48:26 AM EDT

[#21]

this just sucks. I never been there and I wanted to try them out but time was not on my side to do so. I guess I will have to wait until the build it back up...if they do.

Posted: 9/15/2004 8:53:04 AM EDT

[#22]

Thankfully I have my own range on my property, out in the country. This would really suck if I had no place else nearby to go. Do you folks have any other local ranges you can use?

Posted: 9/15/2004 9:02:07 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Thankfully I have my own range on my property, out in the country. This would really suck if I had no place else nearby to go. Do you folks have any other local ranges you can use?

I can shoot at a outdoor private range about 2 miles from our house and Lex. is about 35 miles away. So it's no big deal for me unless it rain/snows.

Posted: 9/15/2004 9:06:34 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
NNNNOOOOO!!! Say it isn't so! That was the nicest indoor range I've been to.

It was nice but they could do much better. The nicest range I've been to is the indoor police range in Taylor Michigan. They had the programmable target carriers, where you tell it to go down to 21 feet, turn the target on it's edge, flip the target forward for a specific time frame, then edge again. Plus they had sound proofing on all the walls and baffles hanging from the ceiling. The air handling equipment was great, you never left with the taste of lead/gunpowder in your mouth.

Posted: 9/15/2004 9:23:36 AM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
....Do you folks have any other local ranges you can use?

Yeah, we still have the large outdoor Bluegrass Sportsmans League , and Bud's has opened up a new indoor pistol range in Paris again, so we're not really left hanging. It was just nice because the Bluegrass Indoor Range was so much closer.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Attn: Lexington KY shooters, Bluegrass Range on FIRE.......

General » General Discussion

Warning

Confirm Action

About AR15.COM

Stay Connected

Newsletter

Contact Us