On May 31, 2025, a fire broke out at the historic Victory Mills in the village of Victory, New York — and now, two 14-year-olds have been arrested on arson charges.
Victory Mills Fire Department/FacebookVictory Mills began operating in 1846, and though it was shut down in 2000, it remained an historic landmark.
Two 14-year-olds have been charged with starting a massive fire that destroyed the historic Victory Mills in Victory, New York on May 31.
According to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, the teens, a boy and a girl, were charged with third-degree arson and second-degree criminal trespass. The boy was charged on Saturday, the day of the fire, while charges were brought against the girl the following day.
They have since been released to their parents. Meanwhile, the local community is reeling from the destruction of this local landmark that has defined the town for 179 years.
The Devastating Fire At New York’s Historic Victory Mills
Victory Mills Fire Department/FacebookFirefighters eventually got the blaze under control, but the mill had been destroyed beyond repair by then.
Officials were first alerted to a blaze at the historic Victory Mills on the afternoon of May 31 at around 2:30 p.m. When officials arrived on the scene, the mill was entirely engulfed in flames.
It took an hour for first responders to get the fire under control, while 108 firefighters remained on the scene for a total of seven hours. They were forced to take a defensive approach of containing the fire due to the sheer size of the blaze.
Victory Mills Fire Department/FacebookLocal officials called the fire “devastating.”
“We’ve already made the call that nobody is going into the structure unless there is immediate life at risk,” said Victory Mills Fire Department Chief Ryan Campbell while at the scene. “We had no reports of immediate life when I got on scene. I was told that there was nobody in the structure at that point. It was fully involved, so we took a complete defensive approach to it.”
“There’s been embers going as far as the eye can see. The flames have been coming,” one witness said. “I could feel the heat just standing by that fence. You could see things collapse, and you could hear things collapse as it’s been going.”
As the Times Union reported, containing the blaze was no easy task. Firefighters were seen driving back and forth to the scene in tanker trucks to resupply with water. They also filled large rubber pools as an additional water source, as well as pumping water from the nearby Fish Creek.
A massive building encompassing 230,000 square feet, Victory Mills had been abandoned for around 25 years. The village of Victory had previously received a $10 million grant to use for the mill’s demolition and the building of a recreational space on the land. Now, however, damage from the fire could disrupt those plans.
The History Of Victory Mills And The Town That Grew Up Around It
Victory Mills Fire Department/FacebookThe mill was planned to be demolished sometime after July 4, local residents said.
The loss of Victory Mills is especially tragic given that it is the town’s namesake and defining landmark. It originally opened as a textile producer in 1846, and by 1870 it was one of the largest cotton mills in the state. According to the National Park Service, by 1880 the mill was employing 600 people and producing 6 million yards of cotton cloth per year. In 1893, however, it was closed to due economic downturn.
In 1910, the mill was purchased by a rope, bagging, and cordage company, who expanded the building in 1918, creating the larger complex that stood until the fire. The mill closed once again in 1929, then remained vacant until 1937, when it was taken over by a carton company. It changed hands several times after that, before ultimately shutting down for good in 2000.
Saratoga County ArchivesVictory Mills began operating in 1846 and changed hands many times before shuttering for good in 2000.
A 2010 report from the town’s historian wrote, “The mill was the reason for the name, settlement, incorporation, growth, and prosperity of the village.”
“It’s just always been there, in the center of town,” said Michelle Vanarnum, whose husband Leon worked at the mill from 1976 until it closed in 2000. “If someone came to visit and you had to give them directions, you always say ‘go to the old mill’ and then count the houses. Now it’s just gone.”
Plans To Redevelop The Victory Mills Site
In recent years, the mill had mostly been used for teens to have parties or as a place where squatters stayed, but given how prominent it was, Vanarnum said she had mixed feelings about it. Of course, the village had already been planning to raze the mill anyway later this summer.
“The property owner is going to get it on the ground, and then we’re actually trying to expedite the process of the village taking ownership of it,” said Victory Mayor Corey Helwig. “Nothing has changed in the plan going forward.”
Victory Mills Fire Department/FacebookIt is unclear how much the village paid for the property.
Helwig added that he hopes to redevelop the site into a senior living center and space for new businesses. It is not clear how much the village paid for the property.
“Through tragedy and devastation, I think it’s going to be a great benefit to the village,” Helwig said.
Meanwhile, the investigation into how the fire started continues. While the two 14-year-olds have been charged, few other details about the case have been made public.
According to a statement from the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, the teens “are accused of intentionally damaging a building by starting a fire and of knowingly and unlawfully remaining in a building which was fenced in or otherwise enclosed in a manner designed to exclude intruders.”
Saratoga town Supervisor Ian Murray called the fire “devastating,” and said the loss has “deeply impacted” the community.
“To understand the weight of this moment: the mill is more than just a building,” he said. “It’s part of the very foundation of Victory… Though the plant ultimately closed in 2000, its towering presence has remained a symbol of our village’s industrial legacy and resilience.”
Demolition has now begun on the hollowed-out mill, with the Victory Fire Department standing by in case this cataclysmic fire reignites.
