The Cherrywood Building, a disused three-story brick building on the grounds of the former Harrisburg State Hospital, was destroyed by a fire that was reported late Monday.
As the grounds are being repurposed for the $450 million joint laboratory facility of the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, the structure is one of several that were originally scheduled to be removed. Early in 2025, site preparatory work is scheduled to start.
Dauphin County dispatch said that firefighters were called to what they believed to be a brush fire at approximately 10:40 p.m.
When crews arrived, the building was completely burned, according to Harrisburg fire chief Brian Enterline, who spoke to ABC27. “When we got here, the whole roof, from front to back, was just fire,” he added.
Among those dispatched to the location were fire departments from Lancaster, Cumberland, and Dauphin counties. As the remaining portion of the building is being demolished and hot spots are being extinguished, crews were still on site Tuesday morning.
1851 saw the opening of the state hospital, which closed in 2006.
A photograph taken in November 2024 of the Cherrywood facility on the Dauphin County state hospital grounds. Pickel, Janet, PennLive.comPennLive
Up to 2021, offices of several state departments were housed in some of the historic structures, such as Cherrywood.
The grounds have been toured by the Historic Harrisburg Association. The Cherrywood Building was not featured in the visits, but they included highlight structures that would be restored, such as a former administration building and church.
The association announced on Tuesday that a sold-out tour is still scheduled for Saturday.
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