DAMARISCOTTA, Maine — Schooner Landing Restaurant and Marina in Damariscotta was destroyed in an overnight fire early Sunday morning.
Damariscotta Fire Chief John Roberts told NEWS CENTER Maine the fire was reported around 3 a.m. and six departments responded. The structure was deemed a total loss.
No injuries were reported.
Roberts said the fire was successfully contained but crews fought challenging conditions with wind blowing towards them.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined and the fire marshal's office is investigating.
Several boats reportedly had people sleeping overnight, and those folks were roused and helped from the docks by firefighters, as needed.
A portion of the dock is used for a floating device to nurture tiny seed oyster, for oyster farms on the river. There was no word whether there was any damage.
The Damariscotta Region Chamber of Commerce noted the blaze on social media Sunday morning, thanking six fire departments for responding: Damariscotta, Newcastle, Bristol, Bremen, Waldoboro, and Nobleboro, plus county officials.
Local police said Main Street had reopened after being closed from the Damariscotta/Newcastle bridge to the Bristol Road intersection due to a fire. Drivers were asked to seek an alternate route.
Schooner Landing Restaurant and Marina is located at 47 Main St. and was built over what was Cottrill’s Wharf, established in the late 1700s, according to their website. In the 1800s, it became a hub for vessels to transfer cargo, later also becoming a hotspot for tourists and the working waterfront.
NEWS CENTER Maine was told the business employs 49 people, and it would have stayed open through mid-October.
