Huge fire breaks out at Maryland Jewish camp

Police said the dining hall was empty when the fire began. The fire is under control as firefighters were working to put out the fire.

By JNS

A massive fire erupted at the Jewish Camps Airy & Louise summer camp for boys in western Maryland on Wednesday morning, with no injuries reported.

Officials said that smoke rising from the fire and flames could be seen miles away, reported WUSA9. The fire quickly spread from the dining hall to other floors in the building, according to police.

The smoke was spotted as breakfast was being prepared, with an alarm quickly sounded, camp director Marty Rochlin said at a press conference.

“It’s a building most of us grew up in, had all our meals in as campers and as staff,” Rochlin said. “Thankfully, it’s just a building. Camp can continue because camp is the people.”

Emergency services received calls around 7:30 a.m. about a fire at the camp.

Police said the dining hall was empty when the fire began. The fire is under control as firefighters were working to put out the fire, according to the report.

A spokesperson for the camp stated that “we wanted to advise everyone that all campers, counselors and staff are safe and accounted for. No one was injured in the event.”

The camp, was founded in the 1920s, and according to its website, serves families “from across the spectrum of Judaism”.

“We may have lost a building today, but what makes our camp special is the people who have been gathering here for nearly a century. We remain focused on making sure that every camper has an incredible session on the mountain this summer,” camp officials wrote in a Facebook post Thursday.

World Israel News Staff contributed to this report.