Fire Ravages Historic Portland Waterfront Post-Christmas

A day after Christmas, a fire struck Portland's historic Old Port waterfront, damaging structures and boats. Flames spread through Custom House Wharf, a previous fishing industry hub, now housing seafood restaurants. The fire's cause remains under investigation, and a firefighter was slightly injured. Frozen hydrants complicated efforts to extinguish the fire.

A day after Christmas, a fire tore through the historic Old Port waterfront in Portland, Maine, damaging aging buildings and boats. Flames and smoke swept through structures along the Custom House Wharf, once a bustling center for Portland's fishing industry, which now hosts seafood restaurants, authorities reported. The fire's cause is still under investigation. A firefighter sustained minor injuries during the incident.

The Portland Fire Department issued an 'incident notification' on Facebook shortly before 6 pm Friday, advising residents to exercise caution and avoid the area. First responders deployed a fire boat to combat the flames from the harbor, as frozen fire hydrants hindered conventional methods, according to news reports. Among the several damaged boats, at least one sank near the wharf.

The Porthole Restaurant expressed gratitude on Facebook, stating, 'Mainers are truly the best kind of people.' They assured the public, 'WE ARE SAFE. We want everyone to know that all of our staff, fishermen, and owners are safe.'