The Portland Fire Department was alerted to the report of a significant, visible fire on Custom House Wharf at 5:33 pm on Friday, December 26, 2025. The initial report of fire came in from a Casco Bay Ferry with the exact initial location of the fire not immediately known according to a press release from the fire department received this morning at 9:48 AM.
Initial arriving crews struck the all-hands assignment at 5:35 pm with significant smoke and fire visible from multiple buildings. One building involved at arrival was a one story, commercial structure. A second building was a two-story commercial structure. The second alarm was struck at 5:41 PM and the third alarm struck at 5:43 PM. Due to intense fire conditions, challenges with multiple additional exposures, acess issues related to being on a wharf and structural collapse of the building, crews were forced to eventually operate defensively. Operations included all Portland fire crews as well as the fireboat and mutual aid was received on scene by Westbrook and South Portland fire departments. Mutual aid from Scarborough, South Portland, Falmouth, Cumberland, Westbrook and Cape Elizabeth assisted with city coverage.
The fire was considered under control around 7:22 PM. Custom House Wharf and the immediately adjacent section of Commercial Street were closed during initial operations, but are currently open. The public is encouraged to use caution in the area as crews remain on scene attending to hotspots and due to possible icy conditions related to operations.
Two firefighters sustained minor injuries that did not require transport and there were no reports of injuries to members of the public. Multiple boats tied to the wharf sustained damage from the fire and firefighting operations. One of the boats did sink.
The fire is under investigation in collaboration with the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office. At this time, there is no information available related to cause or origin. Investigations are expected to be on scene for an extended period of time.
This blogger visited the site this afternoon. It appears that the fire began at a workshop type building that did not entertain a lot of foot traffic – was used primarily for making stuff as one person put it and it totally collapsed. It’s several buildings away from the Maritime Antiques business whose roof totally collapsed into the business itself.
The Maine State Fire Marshal’s office has a truck and crew on site to determine the cause and origin of the fire. When that has been determined, a report will be issued by it. There were many pedestrians flocking to see the site of the fire at the corner of Commercial Street and Custom House Wharf on the Portland waterfront – causing a minor traffic jam.