Second fire at the address this week.

Shaun Farrar and Carrie Jones

Mar 28, 2026

TRENTON—Just over 48 hours after responding to 1147 Bar Harbor Road, the Open Hearth Inn, for a dumpster fire, the Trenton Volunteer Fire Department was called back for a structure fire.

Shortly before 3 a.m., March 28, the fire department was dispatched to the fire, located at the inn, which, according to its website was “was originally built by a member of one of Trenton’s earliest families, circa 1820.”

Original details at the inn included pumpkin pine floors, open hearth fireplaces with their historic ovens and iron cranes.

Active flames and heavy smoke greeted the first responders. The fire activity was primarily in the inn’s middle section of the main building.

“Firefighters initiated an immediate attack to contain and extinguish the blaze; however, operations were complicated by downed, live electrical wires in the operating area. Crews exercised extreme caution while working around the hazard until Versant Power subsequently secured the electrical service. Despite these challenges, crews worked diligently to control the fire. Unfortunately, the fire continued to spread on both sides of the building before it could be controlled,” the Trenton Fire Department explained in a press release.

The firefighters said that the conditions were frigid and challenging. Gear froze. Surfaces turned icy and slippery. All of these factors complicated the response and increased the chance that firefighters could slip and fall.

“Due to the extent of fire involvement, mutual aid resources were requested from across Hancock County and surrounding areas. These resources were requested to provide tankers due to inadequate water resources. Assisting departments included Ellsworth, Lamoine, Hancock, Sullivan, Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Penobscot, Blue Hill, Brooklin, Mariaville, Eastbrook, Sedgwick, Sorrento, and Surry Fire Departments. Dedham Fire Department provided station coverage for Ellsworth, and Franklin Fire Department established a secondary water supply. Their rapid response and coordinated efforts were instrumental in bringing the fire under control. Additionally, other fire departments were requested by responding fire departments to cover their towns while engaged in helping Trenton,” the department said.

There were no injuries. Guests staying at the property were already out of the buildings prior to when firefighters arrived. Crews then had to stay throughout the morning to overhaul the building and for extra suppression.

“Trenton units cleared the scene at approximately 11:30 a.m. and spent an additional 2.5 hours returning apparatus and equipment to service to ensure operational readiness,” the department said. “The Trenton Volunteer Fire Department extends its sincere appreciation to all responding crews, as well as the staff of Ohana Inns at the Open Hearth for providing food and hot beverages to crews working on scene during these difficult conditions.”

The State Fire Marshal’s Office will be investigating the cause of the fire at the property, which has a rich history.

“As motorists took to the roads after World War II and the popularity of Acadia National Park developed, the demand for tourist lodging grew. The early Cape Cod style house was converted to a lodging business in the mid 1940s. The first cottages were constructed in these early years and thereafter each consecutive innkeeper added a new facet to the accommodations. More cottages were built in the 1950s, motel rooms in the 1970s, apartments in the 1990s, and original rooms in the house were converted to suites in 2004,” the inn’s website states.

When firefighters arrived to the dumpster fire at the property Wednesday night, they found a dumpster with contents that were on fire. Though the dumpster was located near the Open Hearth Inn, no other structures, other than the Open Hearth Inn sign, were threatened.

“Crews were able to quickly bring the fire under control, extinguish the blaze, and complete overhaul of the debris. The contents of the dumpster appeared to include construction debris and furniture,” the department said.

The firefighters were able to leave that fire shortly after midnight.

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All photos courtesy Trenton Fire Department unless otherwise noted.

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