Fire destroys campers, boats, vehicles at Lake Poinsett campground

Updated at 10:00 a.m.

Campers, boats and vehicles have been lost to an early morning fire at a Lake Poinsett campground. It happened at the Sunset Park Campground, located just south of Lake Poinsett Estates.

Hamlin County Emergency Management Director Dave Schaefer says it happened around 2:15 this morning. He says it was an extremely fast-moving fire, fueled by strong winds. Schaefer says  six campers were destroyed and another three were substantially damaged. He says five boats and a pickup are total losses and side-by-sides, golf carts and a small tractor were damaged or destroyed.

Schaefer says severe storms were in the area right before the fire started, but he’s not sure if it was weather-related.

According to Schaefer, since it was Monday night, several of the campers were empty. He says one person who was in his camper noticed the fire and quickly went around, pounding on doors, notifying others.

A post on the Lake Poinsett Estates Campground Facebook page says some campers and vehicles were lost but but firefighters were able to save the majority of the campground.

Firefighters from Arlington, Badger, Lake Norden, Hayti, Estelline and Castlewood all helped fight the fire.

 

Lake Poinsett Estates Campground posted this video overnight:

https://www.facebook.com/1687994451429904/videos/257715595566818/?__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARB3oo76rtYnpDuxxl08WkrHlI1GjLEdOa2js24flkTZRiL0Bbwv32zX5u570F-Qei5w89lYN50YL9CG