Fire destroyed a picnic shelter earlier this morning on the grounds of Fairhaven Independent Baptist Church at 86 E. Oakhill Road in Westchester Township, the Chesterton Fire Department said.

Firefighters--assisted by the Porter, Beverly Shores, and Pine Township departments--responded to the scene at 2:13 a.m. and found on their arrival the picnic shelter to be fully involved, Lt. John Jarka of the CFD told the Chesterton Tribune early this morning.

Jarka described the shelter as a large and elaborate structure, around 30’ x 50’ in size and fully roofed, with a concrete floor and limestone fireplace, an equipped kitchen area, and a full wall and three partial walls, located on the south boundary of the property near the Amtrak railroad tracks.

A total of 6,750 gallons of water were used to extinguish the blaze, supplied by tankers as there were no hydrants in proximity, Jarka said.

EMS from Porter hospital were on the scene but no one was injured. Jarka did say that firefighters managed to prevent a 100- to 150-gallon propane tank in the picnic shelter from exploding by keeping it cool with a continuous stream of water.

Jarka estimated damage to the structure at $10,000 and that to contents at $5,000.

The cause of the fire was undetermined this morning but the CFD is investigating it.

The CFD cleared the scene at 4:54 a.m.