Easter Fire Engulfs 40 Christian Houses

A massive Easter Sunday fire engulfed dozens of summer cottages at a Christian center in Alton Bay, NH, the Union Leader reports. The 40 homes were unoccupied when the blaze started at around 4:30 pm, but one firefighter was hurt in a propane tank explosion. The blaze raged for 6 hours in windy, dry conditions until firefighters brought it under control. "It was a huge red inferno," said a former center employee.

"The fire people were dwarfed by the fire," she added. "The fire trucks looked like toys compared to the fire." A fire marshal gave no cause for the blaze, but expressed relief that it broke out in the off-season. "Fortunately, it was at this time of year," he said. "During the summer, it's full." (More New Hampshire stories.)