REDFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Fire severely damaged the clubhouse Friday morning at Western Golf and Country Club in Redford Township.
Workers noticed the flames just after 5 a.m. near the kitchen of one the clubhouse buildings. The fire quickly spread from building to building.
Redford Township firefighters called in support from fire departments in Livonia, Dearborn Heights and Southfield. The flames raged for at least two hours before firefighters gained control. By 8:20 a.m., firefighters had doused most of the flames and were working to control the fire.
The club was closed at the time the fire started but golf course workers had just started to arrive for the workday, said club Vice President Andy Arena. No injuries were reported.
Thick smoke soon could be seen billowing from the 92-year-old building.
"It's a neat club ... very close-knit ... it's devastating. We'll replace the building, but it's the memories," said Arena.
The clubhouse was built way back in 1926. That's also when the golf course was being designed.
Arena said the club serves about 400 families.
"It was beautiful, but after 92 years that wood was dry as a bone. We can rebuild the clubhouse, but you can't rebuild (the history)," said Arena.
Arson investigators will be at the building working to figure out where exactly the fire started.
Arena said he expects the membership to rally around keeping the club open and operating.