FREEPORT — A pre-dawn fire today damaged a 75-by-40-foot barge docked at
Brewer South Freeport Marine in South Freeport, rousing firefighters from
Freeport, Brunswick and Yarmouth.A homeowner on High View Road saw flames down at the waterfront and called the Freeport Fire Department to report the fire at 5 a.m., Freeport Fire Chief Darrel Fournier said.
When firefighters arrived, flames were lapping at a working barge that was driving pilings at the marina for new docking, Fournier said.
The fire was confined to a 10-by-10-foot enclosed area with a wood stove used to shield crew members from the weather on the barge.
"They were driving pilings last evening, and apparently one of the pilings caught fire. When the wind changed, embers from the piling flew onto a pile of scrap wood on the barge," Fournier said, explaining how the fire started.
Three fire engines, a ladder truck and a rescue crew from Freeport came to the marina along with an engine from Brunswick Fire Department. Yarmouth's fire department covered Freeport's station during the fire.
Crews had to negotiate snow-covered docks with hoses and ladders to reach the blaze. "It was a challenge to get up on the barge with a hand ladder," he said.
But they had extinguished the fire and left the waterfront in two-and-a-half hours. "The fire was accidental in nature. We've got an estimate of about $30,000 in damage," Fournier said.
The barge belonged to General Marine Construction Corp. of Portland, according to Freeport firefighter Thornton Ring.
As a result of the fire, some oil spilled onto the surrounding water, leaving a small sheen that firefighters are cleaning up with a boom. Coast Guard officials will also survey the spill, according to Fournier.
He said no crew members were on board the barge at the time of the fire, and no firefighters or rescuers were injured in dousing the flames.
"People did a great job staying safe," he said.