FREEPORT, Maine — Firefighters from five communities early Wednesday battled a blaze that destroyed most of the downtown Corsican restaurant.
The Corsican, which sits snug against Brown Goldsmiths on Mechanic Street, reopened for the summer season earlier this month, owner Robin Wade said as she watched firefighters perched on a ladder over the burning roof.
“We just had everything all renovated,” she said.
The Corsican has been open for 30 years in the 2½-story building, which according to tax records was built in 1870. Freeport Fire Chief Darrel Fournier said the building was significantly damaged.
The fire was reported at 3:02 a.m. Wednesday and quickly grew to an “all hands” call, Freeport Fire Department chaplain Sandy Williams said. At 5:15 a.m., Fournier said the blaze was nearly extinguished.
“Because it’s ‘balloon construction,’ there were a lot of open voids and the fire just raced right up,” he said, adding that crews had the fire under control in about 45 minutes.
No injuries were reported. Fournier said the building is insured. He said the state fire marshal will investigate to determine the cause of the fire.
The Maine Department of Labor will hold a Rapid Response session at 1 p.m. Friday at the Greater Freeport Chamber of Commerce on Depot Street to assist about a dozen Corsican employees expected to be out of work due to the fire, spokeswoman Julie Rabinowitz said Wednesday afternoon.
Rabinowitz said the extent of the layoff would be determined after Wade and co-owner Ed Berg obtain an estimate of the damage from the fire and the time to rebuild.
A Corsican Fire Relief Fund was set up Wednesday by the Greater Freeport Chamber of Commerce to help Wade and Berg “as they work on the next steps in dealing with their loss,” executive director Stephanie Petkers wrote in an email.
“We have heard from many of the nonprofits in town that Ed and Robin have been very generous in their support of the community so we welcome this opportunity to give back by supporting them,” she wrote.
Donations to the fund can be made in person at any Bath Savings Bank branch or by mailing a check to: Corsican Fire Relief Fund, in care of Bath Savings Institution, P.O. Box 160, Freeport, ME 04032.