Fire in Portland’s Old Port damages its historic waterfront and sinks at least one boat

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A fire tore through the historic Old Port waterfront in Portland, Maine, the day after Christmas, damaging aging buildings and several boats.

Flames and smoke spread easily through structures along the Custom House Wharf, a 19th- and 20th-century hub for Portland's fishing industry that now includes seafood restaurants, authorities said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. One firefighter sustained minor injuries.

The Portland Fire Department posted an “incident notification” on Facebook just before 6 p.m. on Friday warning residents to use caution and avoid the area. First responders deployed a fire boat to spray water from the harbor to help douse the flames due to issues caused by frozen fire hydrants, according to news reports. Several boats were damaged, and at least one sank along the wharf.

The Porthole Restaurant posted on Facebook Friday thanking the community for its prayers: “Mainers are truly the best kind of people,” it read.

“WE ARE SAFE. We want everyone to know that all of our staff, fishermen, and owners are safe,” the Porthole posted.