Large fire destroys building at Maryland summer camp; no one injured

A big hearth destroyed a eating corridor at a Maryland summer time camp Wednesday, a blaze that took over 100 firefighters three hours to manage however brought about no accidents.

The fireplace destroyed the eating corridor at Camp Ethereal, an in a single day camp for Jewish boys established in northern Maryland nearly a century in the past, officers mentioned.

Camp Ethereal Director Marty Rochlin mentioned the eating corridor, often known as the White Home, is historic and identified for its views overlooking a valley.

“Fortunately, it’s only a constructing,” Rochlin mentioned at a information convention. “And so camp can proceed, as a result of camp is the individuals.”

The fireplace was reported to Frederick County’s emergency communications focus on 7:27 a.m., county hearth spokesperson Sarah Campbell mentioned. A sheriff’s college useful resource officer and a Maryland state trooper first on scene noticed smoke from the second flooring.

Over 100 firefighters labored for round three hours to deliver the hearth underneath management, she mentioned.

The camp is in a rural space not removed from the presidential retreat at Camp David. Firefighters used tankers and replenished water with a close-by pond, in addition to two swimming swimming pools, to battle the blaze, Deputy Hearth Chief Kenny Poole mentioned.

Firefighters had been extinguishing scorching spots Wednesday so investigators can go in, Campbell mentioned.

The investigation is ongoing, and there was no details about the origin or explanation for the hearth, she mentioned.

Camp is in session and stays so. No campers or workers members had been within the constructing when the hearth started, and there have been no accidents, Campbell mentioned.

The camp had short-term plans and was engaged on long-term options with the lack of the eating corridor, Rochlin mentioned.

Camp Ethereal and its sister camp for ladies, Camp Louise, collectively cowl about 700 acres. They’re round 40 and 60 miles northwest of Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

Camp Louise was established in 1922, adopted by Camp Ethereal two years later, in line with the camps’ web site.

The 2 camps will maintain a joint centennial celebration in 2023, on the 12 months between the 100-year mark for every camp.

“We hope that we’re in a position to do it for an additional 100 years, as nicely,” Rochlin mentioned.

The camps had been began by Lillie and Aaron Straus to provide kids in Baltimore a summer time retreat, in line with the camps. They’re the one brother-sister Jewish in a single day camps within the nation, in line with the camps.