Fire on Portland Pier mopped up quickly

Fire on Roof of Portland Pier Building Evokes Swift City Response

PORTLAND – Firefighters from the Portland Fire Department (PFD) were dispatched at about 9:10 p.m. Wednesday to a blaze on the roof of a vacant building at 39 Portland Pier, the city’s waterfront. The structure, located further down the pier from the popular J’s Oyster at 5 Portland Pier, was unoccupied and sustained no injuries.

Deputy Fire Chief Dale Dyer confirmed the call to the department and said the all‑hands response—bringing every available crew to the scene—was prompted when responders observed open flames. “We declared an all‑hands response as responding units observed open flames,” Dyer said. Several crews left the scene around 9:45 p.m., having contained the fire and minimized damage.

“It was pretty routine, and crews did a great job limiting damage to the building,” Dyer added. The fire department’s initial social‑media post mistakenly cited 5 Portland Pier (J’s Oyster) as the location; the incident actually occurred at 39 Portland Pier.

Investigators from the PFD are scheduled to return on Thursday to determine the cause of the roof fire. No injuries were reported, and the building’s vacant status is believed to have helped prevent casualties.

The incident is among a series of nighttime waterfront emergencies that the city’s fire crews continue to handle with promptness and professionalism.