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Fire caused an estimated $1.2 million in damages to Camp Long lodge in West Seattle

Camp Long has been in West Seattle since the 1930s.

SEATTLE — A fire sparked Monday night caused an estimated $1.2 million in damage to a historic city-owned property in West Seattle.

Fire investigators said the fire was intentionally set. 

The lodge at Camp Long, a 68-acre park off 35th Avenue Southwest, caught fire Monday night, drawing a significant response from the Seattle Fire Department.

The fire was primarily located on the first floor of the two-story structure, according to Seattle Fire.

"I think it's awful," said Susan Robinson, a West Seattle resident. "This has been a staple of this neighborhood for a very long time."

Crews were forced to move to a defensive position after finding a hole in the floor of the first story of the building. No injuries were reported, and Seattle Fire officials said the cause is under investigation.

The fire was mostly extinguished within 40 minutes.

"I opened up my front door and looked out the window and just saw flames billowing up over the building over there," said Olivia Rapp, a West Seattle resident. "They were probably like 15 feet high."

Multiple windows were broken behind the building, which police said could have been a forced point of entry. Two cabins on the property appeared to have been broken into, according to police.

Camp Long, operated by Seattle Parks and Recreation, has hosted a variety of summer camps and other events since it was constructed in 1937. The lodge where the fire broke out is rentable and comes with "one meeting room, kitchen space, 10 cabins, two covered picnic areas, group fire ring, and climbing rock."

A fire truck was still on the scene Tuesday morning, although there were no active firefighting efforts clearly visible when a KING 5 crew arrived.

Significant damage can be seen from the building's exterior.

"It kind of brings tears in my eyes," said Barbar Veit, a West Seattle resident. "Very sad. It's a wonderful place. People grew up here."

Police said nothing was stolen from the lodge or cabins.

The camp's neighbors hope the city will rebuild this important historic site.

"I'm very optimistic," Veit said. "I couldn't imagine West Seattle without it."

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