Blaze Rips Through Bush Park

Firefighters contain Wake camping resort fire; tightly packed campers, propane tanks, complicate efforts

by Tom Chillemi –

Firefighters from three Middlesex County fire departments were called out at 12:20 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 9, for a structure fire at Bush Park Camping Resort in Wake.

Incident Commander Paul Murray, assistant chief of the Lower Middlesex Volunteer Fire Department located in Deltaville, said he could see the glow of the fire in the sky as he drove to it.

One converted camper, which had a built-on deck, was fully ablaze and the fire was spreading to a second camper when Murray arrived on scene off Bushy Park Road. The exterior of a third camper was damaged by intense heat. All three units were unoccupied at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.

The campers and their sheds were close together, causing concern that the fire could spread easily.

Fortunately, said Murray, there was no wind that night. “We got in front of it,” said Murray. “I was pleased we were able to contain it. It could have been worse if there had been wind.

Propane flare up

Murray said the fire was complicated by propane tanks used for cooking stoves and grills. The relief valves blew on multiple 100-pound tanks allowing the propane to escape and flames shot 30 feet straight up. Some smaller 20-pound tanks used for grills exploded.

Four golf carts were incinerated.

Firefighters knocked down the fire using water then sprayed a blanket of foam on top of the rubble to keep it from flaring up. Firefighters stayed on scene until 3 a.m. checking for “hot spots” where embers could restart a fire.

The cause was undetermined as of last week, Murray said, and the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) investigators were notified. The case is still under investigation as of Monday, said MCSO Major M.E. Sampson. Arson is not suspected at this time and State Police arson investigators have not been called in.