ROCKPORT — A May 6 kitchen fire in a Route 90 Rockport home drew a prompt response from firefighters of four municipalities, as well as police and an ambulance service, all on the ball and illustrating the strength of the Midcoast mutual aid network. 

Just after 11 a.m., an employee of Bragg’s Tree Service was driving along West Street (Route 90) when he spotted smoke rising from the back of a home, just west of the Meadow Street intersection.

He called 911, and stopped, finding the homeowner working in the nearby garage, and unaware that a fire had broken out inside his house.

Neighbors quickly responded, with one trying to spray the fire with a garden house.

When Rockport firefighters arrived, the fire was still involved. No one else was inside the home during the fire, nor any pets, according to firefighters.

Fire Chief Jason Peasley and Firefighter Levi Rollins hauled a water line into the house and doused the flames.

“With Levi on nozzle, we knocked it down, and went out to make sure it didn’t extend anywhere,” said Peasley.

The cause of the fire is unknown, he said, but it did start in the stove area, and the kitchen is total loss.

With family nearby to help him, the homeowner declined Red Cross assistance.

While the firefighters tended to the house, Route 90 was closed to traffic for approximately 45 minutes, with drivers detouring onto side roads.

Peasley said 16 Rockport firefighters responded to the late morning incident, along with crews from Camden, Hope and Rockland.

Firefighters were back in their stations in approximately one hour.

Rockport, however, has seen 20 more fire calls in 2020 compared to the same time period in 2019.

“There have been a lot of alarms,” said Peasley, noting that since January 1, 2020, the Rockport Fire Dept. has responded to 88 calls.