The Last Unicorn Restaurant in Waterville Was Destroyed by Fire

Four firefighters were injured in a fire at the Last Unicorn Restaurant in Waterville on Sunday morning.

Was Anyone Hurt?

It was a scary fire in Waterville's historic downtown area that could have been a lot worse, if not for the work of fire crews from Waterville and several surrounding towns. Four firefighters suffered minor burns when they became trapped inside as the combination of high heat and smoke took their visibility and caused them to become disoriented. They were extricated quickly and treated at the scene before being taken to a local hospital, as a precaution. All four are said to be doing well.

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Were Any Other Buildings Damaged?

The fire was called in just before 4:00 Sunday morning at 8 Silver Street, which is the location of the Last Unicorn Restaurant. Responding crews found visible fire that was concentrated at the back of the building. They went to work trying to control the fire while mutual aid departments from surrounding towns were summoned within minutes of their arrival on the scene.

As the fire raged, there was concern about the flames spreading to adjoining restaurants, so the Waterville Public Works department was called to the scene with an excavator. That was used to remove the front and rear of the Last Unicorn's structure, giving crews better access to the fire. The adjacent buildings suffered some light smoke damage and the Cancun Restaurant did sustain some minor fire damage, but the flames were extinguished quickly.

How Did the Fire Start?

After an investigation of the scene, the State Fire Marshal's Office determined that the fire started in an area where cleaning supplies are kept and was likely the result of the spontaneous combustion of oily rags. The cause of the fire has been ruled accidental.