Lakeview Heights Fire Protection District (LHFPD) reported that a structural fire at Camp OBR in Pleasant Hill resulted in a total loss of the building and significant property damage, requiring a response from more than 6 fire districts and the treatment of multiple firefighters on scene for “heat-related issues.”
Overnight between July 15th and 16th, LHFPD responded to a fire alarm at Camp OBR, a retreat belonging to non-profit organization “Operation BBQ Relief,” or OBR, on Golden Acres Road in Pleasant Hill. Responding firefighters observed smoke emitting from the eaves of a “shop building” with garage doors, and “while setting up to attack what appeared to be a small fire, the garage doors opened and fire rapidly grew.”
LHFPD requested aid from neighboring fire districts as the fire’s size increased and began to threaten additional buildings on site: Cole Camp Rural Fire Department, Lincoln Fire Protection District, Osage Valley Fire Protection District, Stover Rural Fire Department, Gravois Fire Protection District, and Warsaw Fire Protection District are thanked by name in the LHFPD’s social media post describing the event. LHFPD also thanked Cole Camp EMS, Warsaw/Lincoln EMS, Benton County MO Sheriff’s Office, staff members from OBR itself, and Benton County Missouri 911 dispatch. Dispatcher Justin King was thanked by name for responding to the scene and running one of the fire engines to combat the blaze. LHFPD reported that at one time during the response, a total of 24 fire trucks were on scene to fight the fire, and that the total number of responding personnel was unknown at the time of their post.
LHFPD’s post reported that the fire was under investigation by the Missouri State Fire Marshal’s office to determine the cause of the fire. A social media post by OBR states that the fire began “just 24 hours after wrapping up [their] first camp for young adult survivors of military loss from Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)” and describes the occurrence as a “devastating electrical fire” that destroyed a “newly built bathhouse, laundry facilities, garages, and essential equipment.”
Operation BBQ Relief is a non-profit organization “founded in May 2011 in response to a need for tornado relief efforts in Joplin, Missouri. Competitive pitmasters from nine different states answered the call to feed displaced families and first responders.” The organization continues relief efforts today and reports they have “provided over 11 million meals throughout the United States and internationally following natural disasters, COVID-19 response, and through the Always Serving Project, benefiting the homeless, first responders, veterans, and members of the military.” Despite the organization’s losses from this fire, their social media states that they still hope to hold another camp for families planned for July 24th.
Source for information and photos: Lakeview Heights Fire Protection District social media
Story by Adrianne Nichols, staff writer
