YMCA Hopes To Reopen Saturday After Thursday Fire In Women's Sauna

The Decatur/DeKalb YMCA on Clairemont Road was closed all day Friday as crews repaired smoke damaged caused by a Thursday afternoon fire in the women's sauna.

A voice message on the phone at the YMCA said the building would reopen at 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 17.

The parking lot, usually full or close to full, was nearly empty Friday afternoon except for a few cars and vehicles from cleanup companies.

A sign on the front door of the YMCA said smoke damage was being repaired. A sign on one side of the marquee by Clairemont said the YMCA was closed.

Decatur Fire Marshal Stephanie Burton said the fire department was called to the YMCA about 12:45 p.m. Thursday. YMCA members in the building were evacauted.

The fire started in the women's sauna but had been put out when firefighters arrived, Burton said.

Nobody was injured, she said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Not everybody knew about the closure. One man walked up to the front door about 1:30 p.m., saw the sign saying the building was closed and turned around.

"Time to go home and get on my bike," he said.