Fire Ravages Historic Section of Maryland Town

BOONSBORO, Md. -- Until about 11 AM Friday, an entire block was engulfed in flames, including Town Hall and a historic hotel owned by author Nora Roberts.

It is the biggest fire the town of Boonsboro has ever seen. Around 11 AM, firefighters got the fire under control, three hours after the first calls went out. It started just before eight AM.

Seven buildings along Main Street were engulfed in flames. There were initial reports of victims trapped inside, but so far we've been unable to confirm any fatalities.

Witnesses are reporting they heard a loud explosion. The fire started in a hotel at the corner of Main and Saint Paul Street. The building is owned by author Nora Roberts. The building was being renovated so Roberts was not at the scene.

The fire spread down the block to Town Hall and involved the Boonsboro library and several restaurants.

Officials said they have been worried for years about a fire like this. Friday morning their fears came true.

Preliminary results show that everyone got out okay, but with a fire of this magnitude, there's obviously still a lot of investigating to do.

Republished with permission of WHAG-TV.