child playing with lighter ignites bed

Rockport firefighters extinguish motel room fire

Fri, 11/08/2019 - 7:45pm

    ROCKPORT — Members of the Rockport Fire Department were at the Schooner Bay Motor Inn on Commercial Street this evening following a report of fire in a motel room.

    At approximately 7:20 p.m., Friday, Nov. 8, 16 Rockport firefighters, along with mutual aid from Hope, Camden, and Rockland, responded to a report of flames inside one of the lodging rooms of the two-story building.

    Within moments, the situation was under control, and within 20 minutes, Rockland and Hope units were released from the scene.

    The fire had been confined to one lower level guest room, which had been evacuated. Firefighters dragged a burning mattress and its bedsprings outside and doused it all with water. They then aerated the room, and another room directly upstairs of the two-story motel.

    Rockport Fire Chief Jason Peasley said the fire is attributed to a 4-year-old playing with a lighter, which ignited the bed.

    There were no injuries and the father and three young children evacuated the room. They are now staying with family, said Peasley.

    “There is significant smoke damage to the room and some personal belongings,” he said. “All three children in the room and the parent are OK.”

    Peasley commended Assistant Fire Chief John Wickenden for assuming command, assessing the scene and calling for mutual aid.

    “He did an excellent job,” said Peasley.