Wind hampered firefighting efforts in Solomons Island, where restaurants and boats caught fire. Damages are estimated at $5 million.
WBAL-TV 11 News reporter Lowell Melser reported fire officials responded to the fire shortly after 12:30 p.m. About two hours later, SkyTeam 11 pictures showed the blaze continued to burn, destroying as many as three structures.
A preliminary investigation indicates the fire started at the Bowen's Inn and the wind spread the blaze to the neighboring Lighthouse Inn and apartment units connected to the buildings. The state fire marshal's office said the fire destroyed two pleasure boats stored at docks for the winter.
Earlier in the day, National Weather Service officials had issued a wind advisory that remains in effect until 6 p.m. SkyTeam 11 encountered winds ranging in gusts from 20 to 35 mph. State fire officials later said wind gusts of 45 mph fanned the blaze.
State fire officials said the blaze began around a wooden deck connected to Bowen's Inn. There are no reports of injuries and it's too early to know what caused the blaze; however, state officials said they did not find evidence that the fire was deliberately set.
SkyTeam 11 reported two tugboats responded to the scene and provided a curtain of water around the fire.
Fire officials had called as many as two alarms, and officials at the scene told 11 News as many as three were called. Melser reported more than 70 firefighters from throughout the area and 34 pieces of fire equipment responded to the blaze. It took about an hour-and-a-half to extinguish the blaze.
Stay with TheWBALChannel.com and WBAL-TV 11 News for the latest news updates.
Copyright 2006 by TheWBALChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
