ISLESBORO — An off-duty reserve police officer on Islesboro discovered a house on fire Wednesday evening, prompting a response from 18 firefighters from the island community.

Islesboro Fire Chief Murt Durkee said it took firefighters about an hour to knock down the fire that he said was stubbornly trying to make its way inside from a partially enclosed porch, where it started. They remained on scene late into the night chasing hotspots, checking for fire extension and cleaning up.

The older renovated farmhouse at 455 West Bay Road is owned by Darrell and Nancy Crate, who live out of state and were preparing to return to the island for the summer. Durkee said nobody was in the house, residing or working, at the time of the fire.

"Knowing nobody was in the house took a lot of worry off my shoulder," said Durkee.

The Crate's summer cottage is located on a short point on West Bay Road, near the water. Officer Nicholas Von Husen was walking by when he noticed flames coming from the south end of the residence he could see through the trees.

"The officer was just strolling past and he could see the house really well from one point on the road, and he could see a lot of fire, so he walked closer and saw it was a real fire and reported it to dispatch," said Durkee.

That call summoned four engines, 18 firefighters, emergency medical services and Islesboro Public Safety Director Fred Porter.

Durkee said they got water from a pond with a dry hydrant less than a 1/4-mile from the house.

"It was good to have that so close by," said Durkee.

One of the trucks stayed at the pond and filled the shuttle truck, one was on scene fighting the fire, one was on the street feeding the attack truck and operating as a nurse pumper, and the last truck shuttled water back and forth down the 1/4-mile road.

"Things went really good," said Durkee. "There were no injuries to personnel and we were able to save 90 percent of the building."

Durkee said the Office of the State Fire Marshal has been called to confirm the suspected cause, which he said was not suspicious in nature but could be of a human element.

He said had no idea the financial cost of the damages caused by the fire and the work to put it out.

"The fire tried to creep inside and upstairs at the south end, so that end of the house is pretty well damaged. We had to cut some holes to stop it from getting into the house and the rest of the house has smoke and water damage," said Durkee. "It's really messy to clean up the dirtied-up rooms, and there are broken windows and holes we had to cut, but it can be cleaned up and spruced up and repaired."

At one point, Durkee said he considered striking a call for mutual aid from Lincolnville and Camden, but they were able to contain the blaze and its progression before that call was made.

He also said that four the 18 firefighters who responded, nearly the entire department, were junior firefighters who helped with clean up and pick up duties after the fire was put out.

"As a safety tip, people should watch the weather this time of year and when it's dry, they should curtail burning leaves and be safe with smoking materials," said Durkee.

Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards can be reached at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com or 706-6655.