'Suspicious' Fire Damages Wash. Community Center

Jan. 22--ISLAND LAKE -- An early-morning fire Sunday at the John Horsley Community Center at Island Lake County Park burned a portion of the exterior of the building and caused smoke damage inside.

The fire apparently started in an area of the building that housed the restrooms, then spread to the inside, according to a report from Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue. Interior damage was mainly caused by smoke.

Fire crews were called about 2 a.m. and quickly knocked down the flames, but they spent three hours making sure that the fire was not smoldering in the heavy timbers that made up the structure.

One firefighter suffered a shoulder injury while working on the roof. He was treated and released from Harrison Medical Center.

Damage was estimated at $250,000. The cause of the fire was listed as "suspicious" and remains under investigation.

A wedding scheduled at the community center Sunday was moved to Presidents Hall at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds.

"We got in touch with the people and were able to move them to the Presidents Hall," said Jim Dunwiddie, director of the Kitsap County Parks and Recreation. "I'm glad we had an alternative space for them."

No events are scheduled for Monday, and it is not clear when the building will be ready for use again, Dunwiddie said.

Because the restroom area is separated by a hallway, the fire itself did not spread into the main structure, he noted, but smoke could have passed through a pipe run connecting the two areas.

Copyright 2012 - Kitsap Sun, Bremerton, Wash.