CAMDENTON, Mo. — A building at the Ozarks Amphitheatre north of Camdenton was damaged by a fire Thursday, April 14.
According to a press release from Mid-County Fire Protection District Fire Chief Scott Frandsen, firefighters were dispatched to the blaze at 10:10 p.m. on April 13. The first engine arrived at 10:14 p.m. to discover a fire in the theatre’s concession and office building. The second floor was on fire and the flames vented through the roof.
“It’s in ruins,” Director of Business Tom Abbett said. “It is char boiled. It’s like losing part of the family. We’ve all had some personal mementos and stuff, obviously at our desks and stuff like that, that can’t be replaced.”
The Wild West building housed offices, concessions, and bathrooms.
Firefighters called for backup upon seeing the fire. The next units used hand lines and truck-mounted deck guns to fight the flames, but because the roof had already collapsed when they arrived, they had to firefight from outside. After 45 minutes, the fire was brought under control.
“Electrical fire inside a wall is what we’re thinking, and it just kind of grew up from there,” Abbett said.
No one was injured in the fire. No one was inside the building when firefighters arrived.
The second floor suffered extensive fire damage, Frandsen wrote. The first floor has significant smoke and water damage. The amphitheater itself is not damaged.
“Just seeing the venue up in flames, you know, something that you put your life into for nine years was difficult,” Director of Operations Mary Kay Von Brendel said.
Von Brendel started working at the amphitheater since the venue reopened in 2015.
“I sat and watched my office burn,” Von Brendel said. “I got a lot of bare walls where I had a lot of artwork that was given to me by friends, family pictures and mementos from my career hanging up on the walls that are no longer there.”
Now, Von Brendel and Abbett are cleaning up the pieces as they prepare for the first concert of the year, which is just four weeks away.
“We do have a plan to save the restrooms because that’s an important part of, you know, how we function around here,” Abbett said. “The concession stands, we can build out of thin air.”
Ozarks Amphitheater will move forward with Breaking Benjamin with Special Guest Bush on May 11.
“We’re looking forward to even better year this year, you know, so come out and enjoy a concert under the stars,” Von Brendel said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
In addition to the Mid-County Fire Protection District, responders included the Osage Beach Fire District, Southwest Bech Fire District, Lake Ozark Fire District, Sunrise Beach Fire District, Lake Ozarks Fire District, Southwest Fire District, a Camden ambulance and the Camden County Sheriff’s Office.
The Ozarks Amphitheatre is located at 2367 Old Route 5 north of Camdenton.
