Over 15 fire departments battled a fire last night at the former Wykeham Rise School for Girls in Washington.  The building was declared a total loss.

According to WTNH.com, it took about three hours to contain the blaze, which destroyed the abandoned school. A small "rekindling" started at about 6:00 this morning, but was quickly extinguished.

The property has been abandoned since the school closed in the early 1980's. The Rolling Stones famously rented the school in the Summer of 1989 to rehearse for their very successful "Steel Wheels" tour. Many Washington residents complained about the band and their entourage potentially disturbing the peace and quiet of the town, but fears turned out to be unfounded as the band kept to themselves for the six weeks they were there, and security turned away any curious fans who snuck onto the property hoping to hear a little music.

The New Milford Spectrum reported in January that after years of legal battles, the owners of the property received permission to build a luxury hotel and condominiums on the site, which had fallen into disrepair over the years.

 

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