Fire at Damariscotta, Maine Business Closes Busy Section of Route 1

According to an article on the WCSH 6 website, a fire at Chasse Marina Co. in Damariscotta prompted officials to close part of Route 1 Friday as firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control.

The Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency asked drivers to avoid the area while emergency crews responded to the fire.

According to two people who were inside the building when the fire started, the company's vice president heard two or three small explosions and immediately told everyone to evacuate. The witnesses said the fire appeared to begin near the front garage door of the marina. They also said one person was taken to the hospital.

One witness described helping the vice president escape the building after he repeatedly tried to go back inside to fight the fire.

The witness reportedly explained the he tried to get him out of the building because he kept trying to go back in to put it out. The witness went on to explain "I finally convinced him to get out of the building. Moved his truck, moved a couple boats, got off the forklift and collapsed from smoke inhalation I would say".

By around noon, most of the fire had been extinguished, although firefighters remained on scene searching through the building.

Video shared with WCH 6  by viewer Nate Buczacz showed heavy flames and thick smoke coming from Chasse Marina Co., located across Route 1 from Hannaford.  The footage also showed firefighters attacking the blaze with water from a ladder truck.

The cause of the fire has not yet been released, and the extent of the damage remains under investigation.

Check out this video of the WCSH 6 coverage of the story:

As we learn more about the fire we will pass the information on to you.