Bar Harbor Battles Three-Alarm Fire at Historic Downtown Home
BAR HARBOR—Fire crews battled both fire and ice at a residential fire on Stephens Lane in Bar Harbor, shortly after noon on Sunday. The blaze eventually became a three-alarm fire. Main Street from Mount Desert Street to Cottage Street was shut down to vehicle traffic so that certain hoses used in fighting the fire would not be run over.
The homes are at 12 Stephens Lane. One is owned by Scott and Debra Hammond. The other is owned by Stephen Magyar. The Hammonds purchased their home in 2015. The Magyar family has owned that unit since 2000. One condominium is on each floor. None of the homeowners were there at the time the fire began.
Property records indicate that dwelling was built in 1887.
Stephens Lane is located just behind the First National Bank of Bar Harbor.
An alarm was blown and fire units had to exit the building while fighting the fire due to a potential partial collapse on the second floor shortly before 2 p.m.
In 1987, the Swan Agency listed the building for $160,000, touting its “classic style and elegance of a bygone era.”
Previous owners included Peter Vacca, David J. Witham, James E. Wilson, Kevin Hostler, David Lee, and Dyer Timberland.
Crews or personnel from Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Tremont, Southwest Harbor, Trenton, and Ellsworth helped with the fire and coverage of the island. Bar Harbor police officers and public works helped sand the area to help prevent falls.
Firefighters were still on scene at 3:30 p.m. At approximately 3:42, the fire was declared under control. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.
Photos and videos Shaun Farrar/Bar Harbor Story.
This story will be updated.
Follow us on Facebook.
If you’d like to donate to help support us, you can, but no pressure! Just click here (about how you can give) or here (a direct link), which is the same as the button below.
If you’d like to sponsor the Bar Harbor Story, you can! Learn more here.
Deja Vu
In the early 1980s , i was volunteer firemen. There was a fire in that same building. It was a slushy cold night. I lived across the street from 1st National Bank, so I was one of the first there. Went on 4 fires that year. COA, Kennebec St., and Megan Kelly's grand parents house across from Holy Redeemer. That was the most physically demanding job i ever had.
ThankYou First Responders.
ThankYou Carrie and Shaun.
Always on the job for our community.