Staff Writer

ALTON — Wind-whipped flames destroyed four cottages at the Alton Bay Christian Conference Center Monday morning before firefighters from 14 departments succeeded in bringing the four-alarm blaze under control.

The fire was reported at 4:48 a.m. by an officer with the Alton Police Department.

Alton Fire Chief Al Johnson said no one was in the cottages at the time of the fire, but three of the four had been occupied over the holiday weekend.

Johnson would not comment late Monday morning on a potential cause of the blaze, saying that the fire remains under investigation.

John Southwell, an investigator with the state Fire Marshal’s Office, was at the scene assisting fire crews in the early stages of the investigation.

"It’s a miracle that more of (the cottages) didn’t go," said the center’s office manager, Katie Fogell. She said it was scary as wind blew flaming embers through the center, which includes a chapel, dining hall, recreation buildings and about 175 of the privately owned wooden cottages.

All that remained of two of the burned cottages were their tall chimney stacks and a pile of charred rubble. On either side of the demolished ruins were cottages that were heavily damaged from the fire, but were still standing.

Remarkably, a pontoon boat and two canoes that were stored at the edge of a small cove off Alton Bay, directly in front of one of the burned-out cottages, were untouched by the heat of the flames.

Johnson said crews had a difficult time getting water to the fire, with the closest fire hydrant located about 1,200 feet away, along Route 11. He said water was also pumped from Alton Bay by engines.

Accessibility and being able to get water to the fire Johnson said were the two major challenges facing crews battling the blaze.

Dean Skinner, executive director of the Alton Bay Christian Conference Center, said he received a phone call just after the fire was reported. After jumping out of bed, he sped to the scene. Standing on a beach area less than 100 feet from the blaze, Skinner said he could feel the immense heat from the fire.

"Three of the cottages were already in flames when I got here. The wind was really blowing, like it is right now," Skinner said as a gust of wind whipped a chill from across the water. "I just prayed on my way down the hill they could contain the fire."

Skinner said another resident from the other side of the center found a large clump of burning ash, which had been blown from the fire in the gusting winds.

"It was a blessing that nobody was in the cottages," he said.

Skinner said he had spoken with a two of the cottage owners. He said they were sad but nobody was giving up hope.

"It’s the Lord’s will. We’ll come back. This is the Lord’s place," said Skinner. "We feel liked we’ve been blessed, even through a tragedy like this."

A fire in 1945 destroyed 230 cottages and other buildings at the center.

As news of the fire spread, small groups of spectators watched as fire officials worked to put out any remaining hot spots in the mound of smoldering remains.

Crews from Alton, Gilmanton, Gilford, New Durham, Barnstead, Belmont, Tilton-Northfield, Laconia, Strafford, Winnisquam, Meredith as well as Wolfeboro, Farmington and Rochester responded to the scene for assistance.

Representatives from the New England Division of the Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services were also on hand, providing bottled water and nourishment for fire officials.