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Firefighters burn old beach pavilion, say goodbye 'to a friend'

Flames roared into the sky over Pemaquid Beach Sunday morning, as firefighters burned down the old beach pavilion building, making room for a new one.

BRISTOL, Maine — Flames roared into the sky over Pemaquid Beach Sunday morning, as firefighters burned down the old beach pavilion building, making room for a new one.

The 59-year old building contained a snack bar, showers and changing rooms and a meeting room. It had been part of summer for several generations of beach-goers. But leaders of the Parks and Recreation Committee say the building was worn out, had rot and other problems and needed to be replaced.

So the fire department was called in.

Bristol Fire Chief Paul Leeman, Jr. says the building provided a valuable training opportunity, and several other departments joined in, starting and attacking fire inside the structure several times before they let it burn completely.

When that time came, firetruck horns blared three times, the signal for everyone to pull out of the building. The flames then quickly spread. Spectators joined firefighters watching as the building they knew so well was destroyed.

Chief Leeman said they had a local minister give a blessing, and treated it as “the cremation of an old friend.”

“The pavilion is giving itself up for training, in the hope, it will help prevent future fires and loss.”

Construction of the new pavilion building was scheduled to start the next day, to be ready for summer and new memories.

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