Fire visible for miles: Boat and shed destroyed in Portsmouth
PORTSMOUTH — At least one boat was destroyed along with the storage shed it was inside as the result of a fire that drew attention around the city Monday with large amounts of smoke visible from miles away.
Portsmouth Fire Chief Todd Germain said his department responded about 1 p.m. to 185 Wentworth Road, which is in the area of Portsmouth Marina and a kayak business.
Assistant Fire Chief Bill McQuillen said no one was injured.
Germain described the building as 75 by 50 feet and three-sided. He said the boat was in the back corner and "fully involved" in flames when crews arrived, adding the fire "consumed the building" within minutes.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
Marina operations were unaffected, and no customer boats were damaged, according to a statement released by Portsmouth Marina. Cleanup will continue through the next several weeks.
“The collective fire departments and other safety professionals who arrived on the scene did an outstanding job. I cannot overstate my gratitude,” Marina principal Tom Reis said in a prepared statement.
Reis said the marina has not yet determined the financial loss.
“We’re humbled by the outpouring of community support. ... We remain optimistic that we can work with our local officials to clean up, rebuild, and continue the marina as a proud community hub,” Reis said.
Germain said firefighters from Rye, New Castle, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and Kittery, Maine, responded to help. The Coast Guard responded, too.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Boat, shed destroyed in Portsmouth NH fire on Wentworth Road
