Pennsylvania park roller coaster gone, but not due to fire

CONNEAUT LAKE, Pa. — A wooden roller coaster built more than eight decades ago that was the centerpiece of a northwestern Pennsylvania amusement park is no more, but officials say it wasn’t destroyed by a fire at the park last week.

A statement on Conneaut Lake Park’s Facebook page said damage to the Blue Streak roller coaster Tuesday afternoon was “from the heavy equipment demolishing it” in accord with a permit issued for that purpose. The statement said a burn permit was also issued for “small controlled fires” to burn the wood during demolition, but a heavy equipment issue allowed the flames to spread to a loading dock.