Photo courtesy of WJAC-TV staff Firefighting crews are shown battling the three alarm fire at the Woodward Inn in Centre County on Sunday, Oct. 5. Many Centre County fire stations along with aerial equipment from Union County helped to distinguish the blaze.

Photo courtesy of WJAC-TV staff
Firefighters are shown at the scene of the Woodward Inn. The historic structure was heavily damaged as a result of a three alarm blaze in the early morning hours of Oct. 5.

WOODWARD — An early morning blaze on Oct. 5 has left the historic Woodward Inn in Haines Township in ruins.

The Sunday morning blaze at 105 Mountain Ave. (Route 45) was first spotted around 2:30 a.m. by a neighboring resident who quickly made the 911 call to summon emergency help. The initial caller reported to the 911 dispatcher that flames were already visible.

Millheim Fire Chief Delmar Homan arrived on scene and confirmed seeing flames shooting through the roof of the structure in the rear of the three story building. The fire incident was immediately updated to a third alarm blaze and more units from Centre County were dispatched and also aerial trucks from Union County were summoned to help extinguish the flames. Clinton County fire departments also were dispatched for stand-by measures for the Centre County area stations.

Centre County fire stations who responded to the blaze included Millheim, Boalsburg, Centre Hall, the Alpha’s, Gregg Twp. (Spring Mills), Pleasant Gap, Milesburg, Howard, Port Matilda, Miles Twp. (Rebersburg) and Walker Township.

Firefighters were again dispatched to the scene on Sunday afternoon for a rekindle.

Homan said no one was staying in the building at the time of the fire and that a State Fire Marshall will be called to investigate the cause of the fire.

Since buying the Woodward Inn in 2023, the current owners, Corby and Melissa Stover, had been undertaking a large renovation project there and were looking forward to reopening in a few weeks as a Bed and Breakfast venue.

The Woodward Inn was built in 1814 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.