Smoke pours from the remains of a building at Terrace By The Sea in Ogunquit, which burned early Thursday morning. Ogunquit Fire Department photo
A fire early Thursday morning destroyed a four-unit building at an Ogunquit hotel complex.
The fire in one of five buildings at well-known oceanfront resort Terrace By The Sea on Wharf Lane remains under investigation, but is not suspicious, said Ogunquit Fire Chief Russell Osgood. An investigator from the State Fire Marshals’ Office inspected the damage Thursday, Osgood said.
The fire was reported at about 12:40 a.m. Thursday.
When firefighters arrived, the building, which contained four guest rooms overlooking the ocean and the Ogunquit River, was fully involved. Osgood said the rooms were unoccupied and that Terrrace By The Sea was scheduled to open for the season Thursday.
Osgood said firefighters from Ogunquit, Wells, York Beach and Kennebunk worked quickly to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby buildings.
“Terrace By The Sea has been in Ogunquit for a long time,” the chief said. “They are certainly lucky they didn’t lose more.”
Because of the damage, the fire department closed the boardwalk between Bridge Street and Wharf Lane to pedestrian traffic.
Terrace By The Sea on its Facebook page describes the property as deluxe motel accommodations along with the elegance of an Ogunquit colonial inn offering spectacular ocean views in a peaceful, secluded setting overlooking Ogunquit River Beach.
A number of people, many of them former hotel guests, said on Facebook they were sad about the fire.
“Oh no. Such a landmark. Stayed in that corner room,” one woman wrote.
“So sad to see this. When we started coming to Ogunquit in the early 90s, we stayed at Terrace By The Sea a number of times. Many good memories,” another woman wrote.
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