A three‑alarm fire ignited the historic Old Port waterfront in Portland, Maine, on the night of December 27, a day after the holidays. The blaze quickly spread along Custom House Wharf—once the heart of the city’s fishing industry and now home to seafood restaurants—devastating aging structures and several boats.
Firefighters were first on the scene at roughly 6 p.m., and the Portland Fire Department later posted an “incident notification” on Facebook warning residents to stay away and exercise caution. The firefighters suffered only minor injuries during the effort. The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Because the city’s fire hydrants were frozen, responders deployed a fireboat to spray water from the harbor and help douse the flames. The fire ripped through the waterfront, damaging several boats; at least one vessel sank along the wharf.
In the wake of the event, The Porthole Restaurant took to Facebook to thank the community for its prayers: “Mainers are truly the best kind of people,” it read. “WE ARE SAFE. We want everyone to know that all of our staff, fishermen, and owners are safe,” the Porthole posted.
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
