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On the morning of February 22, Washington County 9-1-1 became flooded with calls reporting a fire on North Main Street in Boonsboro. Crews on Box 6-1 were alerted for a building fire at 07:42 hours this Friday morning. As calls continued to pour in, Station 6 called in over fire band immediately requesting the second alarm to be struck. Crews arrived to find the old Boone Hotel on the corner of North Main and St. Paul Street to be fully engulfed in flames and rapidly spreading.

Chief Griffith from Boonsboro Fire Co.6 arrived assuming Main Street Command and was beginning a rapid assessment of the situation as Truck 6 arrived to find they had people still in the building and reported trapped. Command at this point requested the completion of both 2nd and 3rd alarms on the assignment. Once requested, Command gave a report advising he had a three story commercial structure with heavy fire. Firefighters on the scene were faced with heavy exposures being threatened on all four sides of the structure.

As firefighters worked to battle the blaze and rescue occupants still in the structure, Town employees worked to prepare for the worst. As flames spread from one structure to another, efforts were made to evacuate equipment and important documents from the Town Hall just up the street from the fire. Crews working to bring the fire under control were not only faced with a heavy fire load but also with adverse weather conditions near freezing.

After an hour and a half of battling the blaze, Command reported that a bulk of the fire had been knocked down. Crews continued to work to control the blaze until 10:53 hours at which time Command declared the fire under control. Crews began overhaul operations as Deputy State Fire Marshal Ed Ernst began his investigation into the cause of the devastating blaze.

As fire operations began wrapping up, Command released a majority of the 4th and 3rd alarm units around 12:01 hours that afternoon. Crews still on the scene worked to wrap up operations and cleared the scene as they became ready. Town and Fire officials establish a shelter area during the fire at the Town Community Building in Shafer Park to be used for the numerous incoming press as well as those displaced by the blaze. The American Red Cross was also notified for assistance that was needed for three families displaced by the blaze as well. All fire department operations were complete and Command was terminated at 12:58 hours. All units were able to clear the scene with the exception of Boonsboro Fire Company who had a unit remain on the scene till well into the evening hours.

At this time damages are estimated to be around $1.5 million to $2.0 million. Main Street according to Deputy Chief Fire Marshal Mowbray. The fire is believed to have started on the first floor of the old Boone Hotel, which was being renovated by the famous novelist Nora Roberts. The building dated back to the Civil War era making the building a historical landmark. Along with 1 North Main Street, 5 & 7 North Main were also destroyed in the blaze and buildings at 9, 11 and 13 North Main also sustained some damage. The Town Hall and Library took on minor smoke damage only. No injuries or fatalities were reported during the incident. Fire Marshals have not released a cause and it is still under investigation by the State Fire marshals Office.

The four-alarm blaze called for a large response of over 100 Fire and Emergency personnel from Washington County along with Mutual Aid from Frederick, Loudon and Loudon Counties. Boonsboro Engine & Truck Co.6 responded with assistance from Rohrersville Co.8, Sharpsburg Fire Co.1, Fairplay Fire Co.12, Funkstown Fire Co.10, Smithsburg Fire Co.7, Mt. Aetna Fire Co.16, Potomac Valley Fire Co.11, Myersville Fire Co.8, Middletown Fire Co.7, Brunswick Fire Co.5, Wolfsville Fire Co.21, Shepherdstown Fire Co.3, Nearsville Fire Co.16, Jefferson Fire Co.20, United Steam & Fire Co.3, Braddock Heights Fire Co.12, Williamsport Fire Co.2, Halfway Fire Co.26, Boonsboro Rescue Co. 69, Sharpsburg Rescue Co.19 Smithsburg Rescue Co.79, Washington County Special Operations 20, Washington County Emergency Air Unit, Washington County Rehab Unit, Frederick County Canteen 1, Washington County Division of Fire & Emergency Services, Maryland Emergency Management, Washington County Sheriff Dept., Boonsboro Police, Hagerstown City Police, Maryland State Fire marshals Office, Department of Water Quality, County Highways, American Red Cross and Allegheny Power Company personnel.

Crews working on the incident and behind the scenes were not the only ones involved. Crews from the outskirt area responded in to fill-in while crews were committed on the scene. Crews from Longmeadow Fire Co.27 and Maugansville Fire Co.13 covered the Boonsboro Area with an Engine and a Rescue Squad while Hagerstown City Engine 5 covered Sharpsburg and Fairplay areas from Station 1 and Lovettsville Fire Co.12 covered Rohrersville and Potomac Valley Areas from Station 8’s quarters. Luckily none of the transfers were needed.