Fire destroys Virden Wellview Golf clubhouse

Fire destroyed the Virden Wellview Golf Club clubhouse Tuesday just as golf season was about to kick into high gear.

The manager was at the clubhouse around 3:30 p.m. when he noticed fireoutside the building near the back door, where there is an outdoor freezer and shed, said Brad Yochim, Virden's fire chief.

"He noticedthat the wall was on fire at the back of the clubhouse," Yochim said.

"He tired to put it out with a fire extinguisher but it was too hot and he abandoned that and he called 911," Yochimsaid.

When crews arrived, the back of the building and the roof were on fire.

"We're thinking it was an electrical short to do with the freezer and the plug the freezer was plugged into," Yochim said.

The manager suffered some minor smoke inhalationbut he is OK, Yochim said.

"We did manage to save some contents, but the building itself is gone," Yochim said.

"A fire may have taken our clubhouse today but we still have a golf course," says a post on the club's Facebook page. "To our members, it will be golf as usual. For our green fee players and tournament guests, plans are already underway to get back up and running one way or another in the next few days. We will bounce back from this stronger than ever."