Nearly 100 firefighters responded to a three-alarm fire Saturday afternoon at the Annapolis Yacht Club.
Two firefighters were hospitalized with minor injuries, but no civilians were injured as a result of the fire, said Capt. John Bowes of the Annapolis Fire Marshal’s Office. The fire was put out before 7 p.m., about five hours after it started.
The fire damaged the second and third floors, and smoke damaged the rest of the building, Bowes said.
The building lacked sprinklers, he said, “which is probably why the fire got so bad.”
Bowes said Saturday night it was too early to determine a cause. The fire investigations team began its search for the cause after the blaze was extinguished.
The fire, which damaged the clubhouse extensively, paralyzed traffic into downtown Annapolis and prompted the cancellation of the popular Eastport Yacht Club Lights Parade boating event.
Joe McKenny, 36, was walking down Duke of Gloucester Street with family and friends, folding chairs in hand, when he saw the fire scene.
“We came to look at the boat parade, and we saw this,” the Annapolis resident said. “We wonder if it’ll be salvageable.”
The Annapolis Yacht Club will be closed until further notice, according to a statement the club released Saturday. Club officials will assess damage Sunday and plan a strategy for rebuilding.
“We are saddened by the events of today but thankful that no one was seriously injured,” said Commodore Rod Jabin. “The yacht club was closed to its members while preparing for the Lights Parade and all of the staff got out safely.”
Founded in 1886, the Yacht Club provides boating programs for its 2,000 members, according to its website.
Firefighters were dispatched to the property at 2 Compromise St. shortly after 2 p.m., along with more than 30 pieces of equipment. Compromise and Duke of Gloucester streets were closed to traffic.
Smoke and flames could be seen intermittently for hours as dozens of pedestrians gathered to watch the firefighters work. The situation was deemed “under control” by the incident commander at 3:30 p.m., meaning the fire was contained and additional resources were not needed, Bowes said.
But firefighters were still blasting the building with water from three fire ladders after 5 p.m.
Mayor Mike Pantelides called it a “very sad day” for the city.
“Besides the actual damage to the building itself, this is a huge employer in the city of Annapolis,” he said. “Hundreds of people are going to be without jobs. It’s a big loss for the city. We’re devastated.”
Pantelides commended firefighters for their “quick response.”
“They’re probably going to have to gut the entire thing. They may have to tear it down.”
The mayor said the club may have to postpone its planned expansion on the other side of Spa Creek.
Lisa Craig, chief of historic preservation for Annapolis, said the building was erected in the 1970s but has been modified since. Although it’s not a historically protected structure, “it’s a significant building in the Historic District,” she said.
“It’s such an icon in the city,” she said. “It’s a shame.”
Craig, a member of the Rotary Club, which holds events at the club, said holiday parties will be displaced.
“It impacts all of us who use it as a community gathering place,” she said.
The club recently finished paying for new mahogany doors on the second floor, Craig said. She believes that area of the building was charred Saturday night, but said her office will support the rebuilding effort.
“I’m glad to see it’s not a total loss,” she said. “We’re 100 percent behind whatever they want to do.”
Dave Groy, 65, who lives nearby, said the fire was “horrible.”
“Two years in a row now,” he said.
A couple and four of their grandchildren, ages 6 through 8, were killed in an Annapolis mansion fire in January after a 2-month-old Christmas tree ignited near a faulty electrical outlet.
Harbor Grill, a neighbor of the club on Dock Street, has offered to host any holiday parties that have to be relocated because of the fire.
“We definitely have availability,” said Assistant General Manager James Hinkle. “We wish everyone the best. It’s a tragic thing, especially around the holidays. We’re here to support our community.”
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