CAMDEN — The knowledge that remediation of smoke and water damage from a mid afternoon house fire will take time has left some at Camden Fire Dept. feeling terrible that they hadn’t been called sooner. It’ll be months before 201 Chestnut Street, in Camden, is habitable again, according to Fire Chief Chris Farley.

A 2:10 p.m. notification alerted CFD to a chimney fire at that location. While on-duty firefighters at the station suited up, Farley hopped into the FD utility truck and headed to the scene. From where he parked on the street, light smoke was visible as it rose above the chimney. He began his “360” walk-around of the entire structure, a required initial procedure of all fire scenes that made sure that other problems weren’t going unnoticed while personnel focused on the obvious. Farley found burning on the metalbestos pipe around the chimney’s exterior. The sparks were also making contact with the wooden structure and the cedar shingles.

Continuing his walk, he peeked in windows. Smoke was visible inside. Leaning in closer, he could hear the crackle of active flames. Having been led to believe that the occupants had vacated prior to his arrival, he was surprised to encounter someone exiting. That person stated that there was fire in the basement.

Farley turned to his radio and requested a First Alarm. This wasn’t a chimney fire. An interior house fire was rising upward in the vicinity of the chimney.

Fire crews from Camden, Hope, Rockport, and Lincolnville answered the call, shutting down a stretch of Chestnut Street between Bay View Street and Rockport’s Russell Avenue.

After awhile, Hope firefighters returned to their station, except for one engine that provided station coverage at the Camden station. After 3 p.m., other units begin recoiling their hoses and leaving. Camden stayed until after 4 p.m. At 4:30 p.m., as last on scene, Farley returned to the station as well. 

His words of advice linger. Don't wait to call the fire department. They'll come, even if the call turns out to be nothing. That's what they are here for.

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com