Fire officials rule cottage fire next to Prospect Harbor Lighthouse accidental

PROSPECT HARBOR, Maine (WABI) -The state Fire Marshal’s office has ruled the fire in a cottage in Prospect Harbor Monday morning as accidental.

Maine Department of Public Safety PIO Shannon Moss tells TV5 the fire started in the ventilation fan located in the ceiling in a bathroom.

What’s left of the cottage at the lighthouse in Prospect Harbor may need to be torn down after being engulfed in flames Monday morning

Multiple fire departments responded just after 5 a.m. Monday.

Fire officials say they nearly had the fire extinguished within the first hour but strong winds changing directions reignited the flames.

The downstairs area was relatively unharmed thanks to some quick thinking by the department.

The cottage had been used as a rental property for current and retired personnel of the Naval station the lighthouse is on.

A family of four was staying in the cottage at the time of the fire.

They were all able to get out safely. No injuries were reported.