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July 30, 2008-Clean up is underway of five buildings burned down or damaged in an early-morning fire in the village of Northeast Harbor.

Workers have already torn down the remains of three buildings destroyed in the fire, according to a press release from the Town of Mount Desert. Northeast Harbor is a village of Mount Desert.

The fire destroyed the building that housed Colonel's Restaurant and Deli and the building next door that housed the Wingspread Gallery. The gallery celebrated its 40^th anniversary on July 26. The fire also burned down the Joy Building, according to Carol Harkins-Davis, an information assistant at the Mount Desert Chamber of Commerce. The three buildings were assessed at $1 million, according to the release. Kimball Boutique suffered heavy smoke and water damage and an apartment in the back of the Colonel's Restaurant property is uninhabitable.

This is the fourth major fire to strike a coastal or island community since Matinicus Post Office burned to the ground on April 28. Since then, the Washburn & Doughty shipyard in East Boothbay exploded and burned to the ground on July 11. Lightning started a fire that burned down the Swan's Island Post Office in the early morning hours of July 24.

The Northeast Harbor fire was reported at about 3 a.m. on Tues., July 29. All Mount Desert fire departments responded to the fire and help also came from departments from Acadia National Park, Islesford, Trenton, Ellsworth, Lamoine, Dedham/Lucerne, Hancock, Franklin, Bucksport and Orland, according to town officials. A Mount Desert firefighter was injured while fighting the fire. He is being treated at the Mount Desert Island Hospital in Bar Harbor. As of July 30, the State Fire Marshall's office had not released the results of their investigation, according to town officials.

There were 19 guest workers being housed in one of the buildings that was destroyed, according to Harkins-Davis. "They all lost a place to stay. We really want to help them as much as we can," she said. The chamber is working with the local chapter of the American Red Cross to provide shelter and other assistance to the homeless workers. See the notice on the chamber's home page at www.mountdesertchamber.org.

Donations of used clothing as well as soap, shampoo, etc. can be dropped off at the Neighborhood House, 1 Kimball Lane, Northeast Harbor between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. (see theneighborhoodhouse.com). Cash donations can be made to the Northeast Harbor Fire Relief Fund through the First National Bank, P.O. Box 858, Northeast Harbor, ME 04662. Donations can also be made to the Pine Tree Chapter of the American Red Cross (see www.pinetree.redcross.org).