MARATHON, Ont. — The clubhouse at the Peninsula Golf Course in Marathon was destroyed overnight in a fire that may have been caused by lightning.
No one was injured.
Investigators are working to confirm the cause, but Marathon Mayor Rick Dumas says it happened late in the evening in the midst of a particularly violent thunderstorm.
He said no one was at the clubhouse when the fire started, however "somebody noticed an orange glow" from the area of the golf course.
"I got notification at 1:05 a.m. so it was probably a little earlier than that," Dumas said.
It's believed that explosions that were heard during the fire were golf cart gas tanks blowing up.
"There was a golf tournament just yesterday. Everything was wonderful, and then last night we had this monstrous storm," Dumas said.
He estimated the clubhouse, built largely by volunteer labour, was 30 to 35 years old.
The building was covered by the town's insurance policy.
Dumas expects the town will arrange for a trailer to be used as a temporary clubhouse, but there will be no food or beverage service.
