Maine Fireboat Damaged in Mishap

Portland, Maine’s two-year-old fireboat has sustained damage after striking an underwater object.

Fire Chief Fred LaMontagne tells The Portland Press Herald that the accident happened last weekend while “The City of Portland IV” was on a navigational training run on the far side of Fort Gorges.

It wasn’t immediately clear what the vessel struck, but LaMontagne said the impact damaged a propeller and a rudder and sheared off a shaft. No one was hurt.

It was the second time that the $32 million fireboat has been damaged since it was put into service a little more than two years ago. The vessel sustained $90,000 in damage and was out of commission for about three months after running aground in November 2009 in Whitehead Passage.