CASTINE, Maine — Fire departments from several Hancock County communities fought a fire Thursday afternoon in an attempt to save a house located behind the historic Pentagoet Inn.
The fire appeared to be contained by about 4 p.m., according to information posted on the Penobscot Bay Press’ Facebook page. The local news outlet also said that fire departments from Castine, Penobscot, Orland and Bucksport and the Peninsula Ambulance Corps assisted in battling the blaze.
A Main Street merchant who did not want to be identified said he didn’t believe the inn was damaged in the blaze. The merchant said that Main Street was completely shut down while firefighters worked to put out the fire in the house.
Castine Fire Chief Randy Stearns said about 5:30 p.m. that the fire was extinguished, according to local residents and media reports, and that the house was the residence of the owners of the Pentagoet Inn, Jack Burke and Julie van de Graaf.
A neighbor, who also did not wish to be named, said the fire could have spread quickly throughout Castine’s historic downtown, where most of the homes are constructed of wood.