Historic Michillinda Lodge on lake Michigan burns

December 2, 2012 | Modified: December 2, 2012 at 7:15 pm
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A fire burns at the historic Michillinda Lodge on western Michigan's Lake Michigan shoreline in Fruitland Township, Mich., early Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012. Norton Shores fire Chief Robert Gagnon says five people were staying in the lodge when the fire broke out, and all escaped without injury, according to reports from The Muskegon Chronicle-MLive Media Group. (AP Photo/The Muskegon Chronicle-MLive Media Group, LIsa Medendorp)

< p>FRUITLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A fire has caused millions of dollars in damage to the historic but newly renovated Michillinda Lodge on western Michigan's Lake Michigan shoreline.

Mlive.com (http://bit.ly/Tvykxo ) says authorities got word of the fire about 4:30 a.m. Sunday and many area departments sent pumper trucks to the scene.

The century-old 44-room lodge is in Muskegon County's Fruitland Township, about 35 miles west-northwest of Grand Rapids.

Norton Shores fire Chief Robert Gagnon says five people were staying in the lodge and escaped injury.

Management spokesman John Harrington says the blaze destroyed 18 guest rooms, a restaurant and outdoor deck.

The Michillinda Lodge's website says that families from Grand Rapids in Michigan, plus Illinois and Indiana "built simple, comfortable, two-story cottages" on the shore and named it for the three states in 1902.