ROCKPORT, Maine — A fire destroyed a Rockport home Thursday night despite the efforts of firefighting crews from the region.
Rockport Fire Chief Jason Peasley said there were no injuries.
A state fire marshal inspected the damage to the home at 6 Wellington Drive on Friday. He said that while the official cause of the fire will be listed as undetermined, the blaze might have originated in the garage. He said there were several lightning strikes in the area, and a neighbor reported hearing a loud bang before the fire was reported.
Rockport’s fire chief said there is no definitive proof that a lightning strike caused the blaze.
The fire was reported shortly after 11 p.m. by a neighbor, the chief said. When the first crew arrived, the garage was completely engulfed in flames that had spread to the house. He said one challenge in fighting the fire was getting water to the location, which is on a steep hill. Trucks had to get water from a hydrant across from Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport. Wellington Drive is located in a high-end development off Old County Road.
The owner was not at home at the time of the fire. The town assessment records list the property as being owned by the Marietta Raneri living trust. The house is assessed by the town at $310,000.
Crews were able to leave the fire scene by 4 a.m. Camden and Rockland fire departments assisted Rockport.