Around 50 buildings at the Alton Bay Christian Conference Center in New Hampshire burnt to the ground Easter Sunday.

Christians at the center were celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ at 4:30pm local time when the fire broke out in a small number of cottages. Strong winds in the area whipped the flames into a firestorm that quickly destroyed surrounding buildings.

The Conference Center is spread out and includes traditional accommodation, and a variety of privately owned holiday style cottages. There were only a small number of people on the grounds when the fire broke out, which officials say was a blessing as it could have been far more dangerous if it had occurred during the summer holiday period.

Around 4 people are believed to have suffered injuries, including one person who was injured by an exploding gas tank.