Investigators said there was a single electrical wire running from a garage, which supplied electricity for a telephone system in the maintenance building under Dreamland Ballroom. “It was only a 110 (volt line),” said Albaugh of that line’s low power. The fire marshal said there were no indications of problems with that, after inspecting the electric meter in the garage area where the line originated.

In the meantime, a yellow “fire scene” tape still surrounds the structure as a warning for spectators not to cross. However, the fire marshal released the structure to the park officials on Monday, noting that part of his investigation is complete and he doesn’t need to preserve the scene any more.

George Deshner, manager of the park, said the board of Trustees of Conneaut Lake Park now will decide the next step. The board was to meet Monday afternoon.

He said many of the regular volunteers were at the park over the weekend, offering their help to clean up, but Deshner and Jerry Smith, a furloughed CLP maintenance employee, agreed that the removal work is going to require more expertise than volunteers have.

Park employees volunteered Monday afternoon to help remove some of the dangling pieces of the burned roof and verandah as a safety precaution, said Deshner.

Costly cleanup

In the meantime, the next step for the board is coming up with money to remove the remainder of the debris. Deshner said early estimates are that process could run as high as $100,000. One reason for that is the need for heavy construction equipment to dismantle the steel.

Deshner said the board will have to decide what — if anything — is able to be salvaged and sold.

Also lost in the fire were personal tools of at least three furloughed maintenance employees, Smith, Don Schanz and David Hoogstad. Smith estimated his loss at between $6,000 and $7,000 and said he expects Hoogstad’s would be about the same. “Don’s would probably be double that,” said Smith, noting Schanz’s collection was much larger than the others. George Glancy, another CLP maintenance employee, said he didn’t lose any tools, as he took his home when he was furloughed. Smith said Schanz believes his losses will be covered by his homeowner’s insurance and said his and others may be as well.

The trustees had no fire insurance on any of the buildings.