EAST BOOTHBAY - On Friday morning, Washburn & Doughty’s 100 year old assembly building was destroyed by fire, along with two tugboats that were under construction. The blaze caused an estimated $30 million in damage at Washburn & Doughty, which has more than 80 employees, none of whom were hurt.

It took dozens of firefighters from several towns nearly four hours to bring the blaze under control. Black smoke could be seen from miles away.

Before fire companies arrived, several workers tried to put out the flames, using fire extinguishers and a hose connected to a landing craft berthed at the pier that was equipped to draw water from the harbor.

Boothbay Fire Chief Dick Spofford said two firefighters were overcome by heat, but they were treated at the scene. He said about a dozen towns sent equipment and firefighters to help with the blaze.

“We’ve got almost all of Lincoln County here,” Spofford said.

Several Coast Guard boats also arrived. One kept other boats away from the area that was burning and another took firefighters with a portable pump to areas that land-based crews couldn’t reach.

Dan Young, senior investigator for the state Fire Marshal’s Office, said that the fire was caused by sparks from a cutting torch.
Investigators met Monday with representatives from the company and insurance companies.

They said employees were working on the larger of two tug boats under construction inside the building when sparks ignited the nearby exterior wall. The fire spread along the wall into the roof.

The Fire Marshal's Office said the fire was accidental.

Bruce Washburn said he and partner Bruce Doughty started the boat-building business in 1977. Initially, he said, they built fishing boats, ferries and research vessels before turning to tugboats in recent years.

The company provided year-round manufacturing jobs, which aren’t plentiful in Boothbay Harbor In addition to the 85 people employed directly by the boatyard, Washburn said, the company also employed dozens of subcontractors.  Most of those employees will be laid off, at least temporarily.

Washburn said business had been very good in recent years. The tugboats under construction were part of a six-boat contract with a tug company from Connecticut.