Fire ravages former ski chalet at Brookhaven amphitheater

A fire ravaged a former ski chalet at the Pennysaver Amphitheater at Bald Hill early Monday, town and fire officials said.

The building, which was being used as a restaurant, sustained extensive damage, according to the Suffolk County fire marshal's office.

Brookhaven Town spokesman Jack Krieger said damage to the building was being assessed, but a town news release described it as considerable. No injuries were reported.

The Farmingville Fire Department was assisted by mutual-aid fire departments from Holtsville, Selden, Ronkonkoma and Medford, the release said.

Supervisor Edward Romaine said the fire is under investigation by Brookhaven fire marshals. ". . . At this time it does not appear to be suspicious," Romaine said in the news release.

Suffolk County police said a call about a fire at the Bald Hill Cultural Park in Farmingville came in at 3:47 a.m. Officials said a Brookhaven Town employee discovered the fire.

Earlier this year, JVC Broadcasting of Ronkonkoma and the town signed a five-year deal, giving the radio group the rights to manage and promote the 7,000-capacity amphitheater, which included the former ski chalet.

The building had been used as an art gallery but was most recently turned into a restaurant, Cody's BBQ & Grill, by Long Island Events, which is owned by JVC, Krieger said. The restaurant was closed for the season.

The ski chalet originally was part of the Bald Hill Ski Bowl complex and was built in the mid-1960s.