The Detroit Free Press
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Things got a little hot at a Michigan nudist camp outside Grand Rapids on Tuesday when fire broke out at one of the campsites, according to investigators.
The fire was reported in a camper at 4:25 p.m. at the Forest Hills Club, Ionia County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. William Hoskins said.
No one was injured in the blaze at the 45-acre cooperatively owned nudist camp in Saranac, just east of Grand Rapids, the facility’s office manager said.
“Everybody’s fine” this morning, said Terry, who doesn’t give out his last name due to the nature of the camp. “Nobody was in it. It caught fire then the fire department came and put it out.”
About 15 guests were at the camp, nestled in the woods near the Grand River. While clothing is optional everywhere at the resort except the pool and the hot tub, people at the camp put their clothes on when the fire broke out, Terry said.
“Most everybody was dressed when the fire department got here, out of respect,” he said. “When vendors come on the grounds, like UPS or delivery trucks, or vendors, out of respect for being close up, I stay covered. We’re not trying to force this on anybody else. We have a place where we do what we do. We respect the surrounding community. We don’t walk down the street or have parades.”
He added between 20 and 30 people typically make weekend visits to the 65-campsite resort, which has been in Sanilac for 56 years.
“There’s a lot of reasons to put on clothing, not just to cover up, but for protection,” Terry explained. “If you’re out with a chainsaw, cutting lumber…”
Hoskins said the sheriff’s office rarely get calls from the nudist resort.
“Fireworks calls, not much,” Hoskins said. “It’s pretty rare that we go out there.”
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