Fire burns Christian center’s cottages
A massive fire destroyed or damaged dozens of wood-frame buildings, mostly unoccupied summer homes, at a 146-year-old Christian center on Easter.
One firefighter was hurt when a propane tank exploded and others were treated for smoke inhalation.
No civilians were reported injured in the fire that erupted at 4:30 p.m. at the Alton Bay Christian Conference Center on Lake Winnipesaukee, which did not have any activities taking place.
“During the summer, it’s full,” said state Fire Marshal J. William Degnan.
The fire was under control by about 8:30 p.m. It was cold and windy, and Degnan said strong winds off the lake, the state’s largest, helped spread the flames through the many cottage-style homes at the center about 30 miles northeast of Concord.
Founded in 1863, the center is on the southeastern corner of the lake.
The chairman of the center’s safety organization, Russell Sample, was with Degnan as crews from numerous surrounding towns worked on the fire.
“A tremendous amount of history has been destroyed,” Sample said.
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