Fire adds to difficult year for Lost River Cave, community steps up to help

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) – A fire that broke out Tuesday at Lost River Cave’s maintenance building is the latest blow in what staff say has been one of the most difficult years on record for the beloved nonprofit nature preserve.

The Bowling Green Fire Department responded to the 800 block of Cave Mill Road just before 11:30 a.m. Crews arrived to find heavy flames coming from a garage attached to the maintenance facility.

Battalion Chief Joe Harbin said firefighters were able to contain the fire before it spread to the rest of the building.

Lost River Cave CEO Justin Jennings said the fire began when a utility vehicle caught fire as staff returned from the field.

“They actually discovered that their side-by-side utility vehicle was on fire,” Jennings said. “They got out, called 911, and the fire quickly spread to the maintenance facility itself and burnt most of that end of the building down.”

The fire destroyed essential landscaping tools and power equipment, a blow for a park that’s already faced repeated weather setbacks.

“In my nearly two decades here, I’ve only seen one other year where we’ve been flooded more than we already have this year,” Jennings said. “We’ve been flooded 111 days in 2025 where we weren’t able to give our boat tours, and that’s very close to our record.”

Despite the challenges, Jennings said the outpouring of support from the Bowling Green community has kept morale high.

“The community has been great,” he said. “They’ve stepped up, asking to volunteer, donating, and just reaching out to tell us they’re thinking about us and they care.”

Lost River Cave is now asking for continued support through donations and volunteer efforts. Jennings said all contributions go directly toward restoring and maintaining the 72-acre park, which remains free and open to the public.

“If you want to help, you can go to LostRiverCave.org and click the ‘Donate Now’ button,” he said. “We’re a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so all donations are tax-deductible and stay right here on the property.”

The park is still operating daily boat tours and plans to move forward with its largest annual fundraiser, “Cocktails and Trails,” in the coming weeks.