One person has been displaced after a fire damaged a former church building in Smithsburg on Saturday afternoon, according to a fire official.
Deputy Chief Danny Gibson with Smithsburg Community Volunteer Fire Co. said the sole occupant of the converted residence was not home at the time of the fire, which was dispatched just before 3:30 p.m. at 12514 Bradbury Ave.
"The fire was knocked down quickly," he said.
Firefighters got the blaze under control in about 10 minutes, but the building had already sustained "heavy" damage, Gibson said.
A state fire marshal was called to the scene to investigate the cause of the fire. Bradbury Avenue in the area of the fire was expected to be closed for a couple hours.
Numerous bystanders watched as firefighters worked at the scene, including David Borggren, who lives just up the road.