Firefighters, 35 in all from Anne Arundel, Howard and Prince George's counties as well as Fort Meade, put the blaze under control by 5:15 a.m., said Capt. Lee Cornwell, an Anne Arundel County fire spokesman.
"Russett owes a debt of gratitude to Ray Smallwood and the Maryland City Volunteer Fire Department for saving the bath house," said Tim Reyburn, president of the Russett Community Association's board of directors.
Reyburn said a resident who awoke early saw the smoke and called the fire department. A storage bin at the pool house was "completely consumed," he said, and the damage included a hole in the roof and a broken window.
The Anne Arundel County Department of Fire and Rescue estimated the fire damage at $30,000.
Residents also reported vandalism at the pool on June 24 to the Anne Arundel County police, but officials are investigating both the vandalism and the fire incidents.
Vandals had thrown flowerpots, pool chairs and a lifeguard stand into the pool, Reyburn added. No connection has been established between the vandalism and the fire, officials said.
"The cause of the fire is still under investigation," Cornwell said.
