Major Fire at Annapolis Yacht Club

Annapolis, MD (December 12, 2015) – A fire broke out at the Annapolis Yacht Club this afternoon, spurring road closures and warnings to avoid the downtown area. The fire was dispatched at around 2:15 p.m.; as of 4 p.m., the fire had not been brought under control, according to the Annapolis Fire Marshal’s Office.

One firefighter was hospitalized for minor injuries. There were no reports of civilian injuries, fire officials said. Approximately 90 firefighters were at the scene. Capt. John Bowes said it was too early to determine the cause or estimate damage.

Annapolis police said several streets in the downtown area were closed to pedestrian and bicycle traffic due to a “very dangerous situation.”

Police said to expect heavy traffic and expect backups in the surrounding downtown and Eastport areas. The following streets are closed: Compromise Street; Sixth Street; Duke of Gloucester Street; and Eastport Bridge.

Source: WTOP

UPDATE: Because of the fire, the mayor of Annapolis announced that the Parade of Lights scheduled for Saturday night would be canceled.

The Annapolis Yacht Club released this statement:

We thank the Annapolis Police and area Fire departments for their quick action and our senior management for quickly evacuating the facility. We are saddened by the events of today but thankful that no one was seriously injured.

The yacht club was closed to its members while preparing for the Lights Parade and all of the staff got out safely. Club officers and management will be assessing the situation tomorrow to determine the extent of the damage and move the process forward to rebuilding.

The outpouring of support from around the world has been overwhelming and is greatly appreciated. While the extent of the damage to the main clubhouse is still being assessed, in the forefront of our minds is the extraordinary AYC staff, a dedicated and professional group who are at the center of the AYC community.

Annapolis Yacht Club is more than the bricks and mortar of a clubhouse; it is a community. We are committed to re-building in the current location and in the interim are exploring opportunities to re-locate elements of its operation.

Editor’s note: There are unofficial reports that the fire started on the third deck, a result of an artificial Christmas tree igniting. Damage to the third deck is extensive, with the second deck mostly totaled. First deck not burned but heavily water damaged.

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