May 23--A fire early Thursday destroyed Oakhurst Lodge in central Oakhurst, causing about $1 million in damage. Highway 41 was closed while firefighters battled the blaze.

At least 22 people staying in the lodge were evacuated to other hotels after the blaze broke out just after midnight, Cal Fire spokesman Chris Christopherson said.

Investigators are trying to find the cause of the fire, which broke out in a couple of rooms.

The lodge, built before modern fire codes, had a common attic and common basement, so there were no barriers between rooms. That allowed the fire to spread quickly through the structure, forcing firefighters to retreat from inside the building and battle the blaze from outside.

Six engines from Cal Fire and five from Madera County were at the blaze. The highway was closed from midnight to 6 a.m. because fire hoses were extended across the highway to reach fire hydrants.

Two nearby businesses sustained water damage because of flooding from the common basement, Christopherson said. In addition, the amount of water used to fight the fire raised some concerns about Oakhurst's water supply.

Jarrod Lyman of the Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau said the fire comes at an especially bad time because the tourist season is just beginning. He said 24 hotel rooms were lost in the fire. Fortunately, he added, a Best Western in Oakhurst has just added 12 new rooms.

He said the bureau is working to get accommodations for those who had reservations at the Oakhurst Lodge.

Jean Wolf, owner of a computer repair firm that was flooded during the fire, said the business did not lose any computers, but she was concerned about a loss of income while cleanup is done to her building.

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The reporter can be reached at [email protected], at (559) 441-6339 or on Twitter @jimguy27

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