Fire Breaks Out At Camp Airy For Boys In Thurmont, No Injuries Reported
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- About 100 firefighters and emergency personnel responded to a fire Wednesday morning in the dining hall at the Camp Airy for Boys in Thurmont, Md., according to Frederick County Fire and Rescue.
As of 12:05 p.m., the fire is under control, according to authorities.
In a statement, the camp said all campers, counselors and staff at the camp for Jewish children are safe and accounted for.
The fire was reported about 7:30 a.m. in the dining hall, also known as the White House, the camp said.
"As you might imagine, the White House is not only where we serve meals, but also a hub of activity at the camp," the organization said in a statement. "We are currently relocating many of these activities, and want to assure you that campers will be fed on time with the quality meals that you expect. What is important to know is that no one has been hurt, and camp will move forward with a full slate of activities."
Units arrived and found smoke, the Frederick County Sheriff's Office said. As the fire spread, a second alarm was requested, bringing in units from Maryland and Pennsylvania, authorities said. No camp staff or campers were near the fire when it occurred, police said.
The Frederick County Fire Investigations Task Force is investigating the blaze.
Philanthropists Lillie and Aaron Straus founded Camp Louise in 1922 "to offer Baltimore's immigrant women an outdoor respite from the city's cramped working conditions," according to a history on the camp's website. The family converted the then-shuttered Melvue Hotel near the Catoctin Mountain into the White House.
The women's camp was soon moved to a new site in Cascade, Md., and Camp Airy was founded in 1924 to serve boys.
Camp Airy is set on 450 acres and includes a swimming pool, athletic fields, an archery range, tennis courts, a rope course, and an outdoor theater with seating for 600, according to its website.
The organization running both destinations, known as Camps Airy & Louise, maintains offices in Northwest Baltimore.
This story will be updated.