BARRINGTON PASSAGE- An overnight fire on Dec. 17/18 has destroyed a historic Barrington Passage structure that had served the community for many years as a medical clinic and was now home to a local real estate company as well as a residential apartment.
The scene that greeted fire fighters at the Barrington Passage structure fire on Dec. 17. Julia Murphy Facebook
The fire call came in just before midnight on Sunday (Dec. 17) to the Island Barrington Passage Fire Department. Volunteer fire departments from throughout Shelburne and Yarmouth counties were dispatched to the blaze including West Pubnico, East Pubnico, Shelburne, Barrington/Port LaTour, Woods Harbour-Shag Harbour, Port Clyde and Yarmouth for the use of the aerial ladder, according to Dahl Dispatch.
Island Barrington Passage Fire Chief Brian Nickerson said there was lots of smoke coming from the eaves when he arrived on scene. “It was in the attic and too hard for us to get at,” said Chief Nickerson, adding after a few hours of trying to battle the blaze, the decision was made to bring in an excavator to flatten the structure. “That’s the only way we got it out,” he said.
A couple, who occupied the apartment, were not home at the time. Their pets, a dog and a cat, escaped safely with the help of rescuers.
Firefighters were on the scene until 4:40 a.m. said Chief Nickerson. The property was insured. It was a total loss.
For many years the property was home to Dr. Hunter Blair, where he lived and practiced family medicine, along with other physicians. The property was purchased by the Municipality of Barrington in 2001 and operated as a community health clinic until a few years ago when it was sold in 2015 to Butler’s Estates Ltd. For the past several years View Point Realty has occupied the building.
