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one Level 3 fire alarm Walk through the historic Old Port waterfront Portland, Mainethe day after Christmas, damaging buildings and sink a ship.
According to the fire department, around 5:30 p.m. Friday, ferry passengers noticed a fire at the Customs Wharf, which extends into the port and is home to several businesses. Press release.
Within minutes, first responders arrived on the scene and found “thick smoke and fire” spreading through several commercial buildings. Other units from nearby towns and a fire boat quickly joined the response.
“Crews were ultimately forced to take defensive action due to the severity of the fire conditions, the challenges of multiple additional exposures, access issues related to the dock, and the structural collapse of the building,” officials said.
Photos released by the Portland Fire Department showed buildings on fire next to the trapped vessel and huge plumes of smoke rising over the city’s skyline. A video posted by the Old Port of Portland, Maine, showed water being poured over raging fires and a red glow over the port.
The fire was thought to be under control around 7:20 p.m., nearly two hours after firefighters arrived on the waterfront.
“Given the age of the building, obviously, the fire could have spread here and everyone did really great “We’re going to work very hard to put this fire out,” Deputy Fire Chief John Hendricks reportedly said at a news conference. bangor daily news.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries that did not require hospitalization, and no members of the public were injured, officials said. The fire damaged several vessels on the pier and one vessel sank.
“As crews remain on scene working on hot spots and due to the potential for icy conditions during operations, the public is encouraged to exercise caution in the area,” officials said Saturday.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown and is currently under investigation by the Maine Fire Marshal.
Several businesses operating near the marina reacted to the fire on social media.
“Pray that everyone in Old Port and the area is now safe.” thirsty pig pub wrote in a Facebook post.
Porthole RestaurantOne seafood restaurant said in a post on Saturday that it will keep its regular hours “if you need a familiar place to gather.”
“Our hearts go out to everyone affected by last night’s fire at Customs Wharf,” the company added. “We are grateful to first responders and our neighbors for their safety.”