Major fire damage lodge at historic Camp Long in West Seattle

One of the primary buildings at historic Camp Long in Seattle’s West Seattle neighborhood caught fire Monday night, causing an amount of damage that remains to be determined.

The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) reported in a thread published on X just after 8:00 p.m. Monday, a fire had been reported in the 5200 block of 35th Avenue SW. Nine minutes later at 20.17, SFD listed the fire was reported on the first floor of the lodge. It also had a second floor and a basement. In its coverage of the fire, The West Seattle Blog confirmed to be the address at Camp Long.

Several minutes later, SFD explained crews had to move to a “defensive attack” because a hole was found in the floor of the building’s first floor.

The fire was extinguished at 9:16 p.m., West Seattle Blog reportedwith reference to SFD. It was also when SFD published its last X post about the fire and said no injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation. Most of the crews that reported to the scene returned to duty at that time, but several remained on the scene to monitor.

The West Seattle blog also has several photos and videos of the scene detailing what members of the SFD endured to put out the fire and the aftermath once the fire was out.

This is what a spokesman for SFD says CHIRO 7 crews were still assessing the damage late Monday night. The Seattle outlet also confirmed that SFD had closed off portions of 35th Avenue Southwest and Dawson Street as crews worked on the scene.

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More about Camp Long in West Seattle

A City of Seattle property near the West Seattle Golf Course, Camp Long is a 68-acre multi-use park. Among them, it “gives visitors an opportunity to enjoy nature” and “learn about natural history,” the city’s website explains.

Moving on, Camp Long has several structures on the property, including 10 “rustic cabins” and the main hall it is “an ideal setting for ceremonies, parties and other special events.” The West Seattle Blog noticed the lodge is more than 80 years old.

The great hall includes a brick fireplace and a high ceiling and has a maximum capacity of 72 people.

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The response brought out several people who live near the park, who were shocked by what they saw at the site.

“We love Camp Long. We’ve lived here for almost 25 years. We’ve spent a lot of time here with our dog and families and it’s just heartbreaking to see this happen today,” said Carrie Antezana, who lives near the park. CHIRO 7.

Steve Coogan is editor-in-chief at MyNorthwest. You can read more of his stories here. Follow Steve on Xor email him here.