COMO – A historic hunt club still stands near here, but numerous camping trailers used by its members were destroyed by fire early Tuesday afternoon.

Como Fire Chief Jason Howell said 17 trailers located on the property of Camp PD Hunt Club burned due to an apparent electrical malfunction.

“To the best of my knowledge the fire was electrical in nature,” Howell said. “It appears to have started in an electrical box and spread down the line to the campers. Once the first one ignited, the others followed in line.”

The black smoke billowing from the site could be seen for miles around the Como area.

“I initially thought it was the old hunt clubhouse on fire,” said Howell. “The hunt club started in 1890, so it has a lot of sentimental value.”

Upon arrival, Howell said he immediately summoned mutual aid from the Murfreesboro and Winton fire departments.

“We needed to shuttle as much water as we could get back there, especially with the fire being in a wooded area,” Howell said. “Plus it takes a while to get there as the club is about a half mile down a path off Mill Neck Road. Mill Neck itself is paved on one portion and dirt the rest of the way.”

Also responding to the blaze were Hertford County EMS, Hertford County Emergency Management, Hertford County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Carolina Forest Service.

Howell said his department was dispatched to the fire at around 1:15 p.m. and cleared the scene at 4:30 p.m.

“I stuck around to about 6 p.m. and talked to the hunt club members who begun arriving after learning about the fire,” Howell stated.