Fire Island’s gay resort Cherry Grove burns; Grove Hotel, Ice Palace hit

The heart of one of the country’s most popular and oldest LGBT resort towns — Cherry Grove on Fire Island — was consumed by flames early Friday morning, according to multiple reports.

Two firefighters were injured battling the blaze that ravaged “the entire downtown business district” near Holly Walk and Bayview Walk, a fire spokesman told WPIX.

Fire Island’s largest hotel — The Grove Hotel — is in ruins, and its gay dance club, the Ice Palace, the scene of the annual Miss Fire Island contest, is damaged.

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<p>The Grove Hotel was reportedly destroyed.
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<p>The Grove Hotel was reportedly destroyed.
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The fire in Cherry Grove, which is part of Suffolk County’s Town of Brookhaven on Long Island in New York, started around 1:30 a.m. and was still smoldering as the sun rose.

All of Fire Island’s fire departments responded, as did mainland units from Sayville and West Sayville.

In all, the hotel, three homes and the boardwalk caught fire, News 12 Long Island reports.

Other than minor injuries to two firefighters, there are no other reports of injuries or fatalities.

Fire Island, NY- Cherry Grove loses multiple landmark buildings to massive fire. pic.twitter.com/vYgu5pGFcv

— Stringer News (@Stringernews) March 27, 2015