From the Office of the State Fire Marshal:
Investigators with the Office of the State Fire Marshal and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) are conducting an origin and cause investigation in the wake of a 2:45 a.m. blaze that consumed a vacant stone and mortar 3-story, 50’ x 100’ structure on the former Bainbridge Naval Station.
Nearly thirty-five firefighters from multiple districts in Maryland and Pennsylvania assisted the Water Witch Volunteer Fire Department and contained the two alarm blaze within three hours. No injuries were reported during the incident.
The building was originally constructed in 1901 as the Tome School for Boys and later the property was operated as the U.S. Naval Training Center Bainbridge from 1942 – 1976 and officially closed for Department of the Navy use in 1986. Some of the facilities were then operated by the U.S. Department of Labor as a Job Corps Center until 1990. The property now falls under the Bainbridge Development Corporation for renovations. The property is located along the Susquehanna River in Port Deposit, Maryland.
The incident remains an active investigation at this time. A loss damage estimate is not able to be determined at this time.
Anyone having information concerning this incident is asked to contact the Northeast Regional Office of the State Fire Marshal at 410-836-4844 or contact the Arson Hotline at 1-800-492-7529.
Photographs and video provided by Cecil County Sheriff’s Office DFC William Muller.
Check out the amazing videos of the fire taken and provided by Cecil County Sheriff’s Office DFC William Muller.
Had to be arson, or dope fiends.
Or a developer trying to make sure he doesn’t have to worry about historic preservation laws.
If it was such an historic building and a great loss why was it never renovated? Easier to burn to remove debris then worry about preservationists.
People are only concerned about stuff until after the fact.
Look at the former B&O train station in Aberdeen, it sat vacant for over 20 years until CSX was about to demolish it until some group got into “saving it.”
You all had years of time to put an offer out to “save it.”