GROSSE POINTE WOODS, MICH— A fire destroyed the clubhouse at the Lochmoor Club in Grosse Pointe Woods on Wednesday, and club leadership says the building is a complete loss.
Grosse Pointe Woods Public Safety says the first calls came in at 2:41 p.m. about a fire that started in the kitchen. Crews from seven different agencies battled the blaze and brought it under control before midnight. A Grosse Pointe Woods fire truck remained on scene overnight to put out hot spots. No one was injured.
The clubhouse, built in the 1960s, was reduced to a charred shell after thick smoke poured into the sky over Grosse Pointe Woods. Firefighters were able to save a large section of the club, though the clubhouse itself was declared a complete loss.
Watch Peter Maxwell's full report in the video player below:
According to the Lochmoor Club's website, this is not the first time fire has struck the club. The original clubhouse, built in 1917, was also destroyed by a fire in 1924.
Club member Darren Clark captured drone video of the fire Wednesday night. Clark said the clubhouse had been renovated just three years ago, but urged members to remain focused on the future.
"It's a pretty tight-knit community, and we are all devastated by the loss of this building," Clark said. "Thankfully the whole club isn't destroyed, but we do have some work to rebuild this place."
Fellow member John Hauler described learning about the fire as it unfolded.
"I was on the phone with a buddy of mine at 1 o'clock making plans for dinner, and about 3 o'clock he texted me back saying, 'We're not going; it's on fire,'" Hauler said. "And I am like, 'This guy has to be joking,' so I hopped in the truck and drove down here and was devastated. It's just...it's sad."
Stephen Hart spent 37 years at Lochmoor, serving as the club's head of valet and welcoming generations of members through its doors.
"When it started off, all I could see was smoke, but as I am walking around, you start seeing the flames come up," Hart said.
For him, the loss is deeply personal.
"A lot of memories here. People I had not seen in years come over trying to look out and see if I was alright, and I said, 'Yeah, I'm good,'" Hart said.
For Hauler, the fire also claimed a piece of his family history — his mother's baby grand piano, which he had donated to the club.
"I had them unlock it just so I could put my hand across the keys and say hi to my mom," Hauler said. "And that was the last time I saw it."
Club leadership says they are working with investigators and are grateful for the first responders. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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