(9/3) In the early hours of Friday, August 29th, the St. Anthony Shrine’s rectory off of St. Anthony Road faced complete and total burnout. According to Sarah Campbell, spokeswoman for the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services, roughly 60 firefighters and EMS personnel from Frederick, Washington, Carroll, Adams, Franklin, and York counties responded. The call was dispatched at 12:36 a.m.

Cambell says that the Frederick Country Fire Marshall declared the fire to be accidental, with the fire originating on the exterior porch. Two priests and one seminarian were residing in the rectory at the time of the fire, and a smoke alarm alerted them promptly. Rev. Andrés Ayala received a number of second and third-degree burns, as well as cuts and bruises when trying to escape the fire. The priest was taken by ambulance in critical condition to a hangar in Frederick, then flown by helicopter to Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore for treatment, according to Vigilant Hose Company Fire Chief Josh Brotherton. At this time, the priest is recovering and sustained no life-threatening injuries.

Of the 60 first responders who reported to the scene, two firefighters sustained heat-related injuries and were taken to Meritus Medical Center near Hagerstown and Gettysburg Hospital, according to Brotherton. Both firefighters were in stable condition, he said.

As for the recovery of the rectory, the Archdiocese of Baltimore is responsible for handling the reconstruction. At this time the only thing that has been done is cleanup and isolation of the area. The fire is estimated to have caused around $400,000 worth of damage, according to Campbell.

After being notified the night of the fire, Emmitsburg Mayor Frank Davis commented on the punctuality and urgency of the first responders, saying, "They do a great job of being very quick to stop a fire." For this, we should be especially grateful to our local first responders.

After the event of the fire, approximately 150 people, including Baltimore Archbishop William Lori, gathered on Saturday to celebrate Mass and pray for the quick recovery of Ayala. In addition to the Archbishop, Mount St. Mary’s University newly minted President Jerry Joyce attended the Mass with his wife and five children.

Local Emmitsburg resident Brian Reaver, a member of St. Anthony’s church since 1972, said that like all members of the parish, he was devastated when he saw the rectory on Sunday morning.

Reaver said that while he understood that the Archdiocese had to handle the rebuilding of the rectory through their insurance company, he hopes that they allow parishioners to lend a hand. "Every Sunday I sit in a pew surrounded by carpenters, masons, electricians, plumbers, roofers, and the like. Everyone with a skill that would be needed to restore the rectory is willing to pitch in, at no cost, to help restore the rectory. And those who don’t have a building skill said they would be happy to work as laborers or put on meals to feed us as we work. It means that much to all of us. It’s our parish. It’s our second home. It means that much to all of us."