Top: Red Hot RECIFE Chili Pepper Burning January 13,1991. 9:15 AM. It was the second weekend of Snow Camp, and Rebekah Smith was a unit leader. The morning meeting had start ed, and she was doing cabin check. When she arrived at Recife dorm, the door was locked. She was ready to walk away when she noticed a strong odor in the area. She tried looking in the dorm, but couldn't see any thing. She walked to the nearest phone — in Europe dorm — and called the W.T.C. director, Mark Sel lars. She asked him to meet her at Recife with a master key, so they could get in, telling him that she thought there may be a gas leak. Mark and Rebekah, along with Harvey Edwards, met at Recife with the key. They approached the door, un locked it, and felt a blast of hot, pressurized air as it opened. Immediately, Mark yelled, "Rebekah, get down!!" and then, "Code Red Pepper, run!" Rebekah took off running to the Din ing Hall and called up to the office with a "Red Pepper at Recife." The office workers took it from there. By 9:45, there were fire trucks from five different stations includ ing Chestertown, Potter- sville, and Schroon Lake. When Barb, Cindy, and I ar rived on the scene — me with camera in hand — the fire was pretty well under control. I tried to get closer for some pictures, but was warned to stay back — there was a gas tank that might blow. A few minutes later, Barb yelled out that there
was flame showing — take a picture! I quickly ran in and got a couple of shots. No exploding gas tanks yet. By around 10:45, the action had died down, the fire was basically out, and we decided to call it quits. In the Student Lounge, the Snow Campers and counsellors who had been in Recife were now gathered. Some were crying — "My brush was in there. My best friend gave me that brush when we were in fifth grade." Others were calmer as they made out lists of the things that had been destroyed. It was a time of loss, but we praise the Lord that He spared all lives involved. Jennifer Hale
Middle: Firetrucks from all over showed up to fight the flames at Recife.
Right: A mixture of emotions — glad the fire is out, sad for the loss.
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