At Mr P’s Smokehouse, Schroon Lake’s hot new dining spot, it wasn’t the food that was smokin’ Friday, but the the restaurant itself, when a blaze broke out in a back stair well.

The fire started at around 5 pm, when a gas torch, used for some plumbing work, accidentally turned on. Co-owner Chris Palmetier was able to quickly douse the flames, before The Schroon Lake Fire Department arrived and made sure the blaze was out and all smoking debris was removed.

“I smelled smoke and quickly realized that it wasn’t the smoker. I came down the back stairs and saw the smoke. This could have been a tragedy,” Chris told Schroon Laker.