Looking for a Cause: Historic Veranda House bed and breakfast on Nantucket gutted by fire

NANTUCKET, Mass. — An investigation is underway Sunday morning to determine the cause of the devastating fire which tore through part of the popular bed and breakfast on Nantucket Saturday morning.

The entire Nantucket Fire Department was seen battling heavy flames at the Veranda House at 3 Step Lane. Crews from Yarmouth and Hyannis also responded to assist Nantucket firefighters.

Video showed the fire engulfing the hotel around 7 a.m. as flames shot from the roof. The entire downtown section was consumed with smoke.

Flames engulf bed and breakfast on Nantucket Courtesy Nantucket Current

The fire department said an off-duty fire captain and several civilians were first on the scene and helped evacuate guests from the building. The captain ran inside and helped two people to safety. He tried to go back in, but was driven back by intense heat and smoke.

“The actions of the citizens and the Captain saved lives,” Nantucket Fire said in a press release.

Drone video showed firefighters dousing the hotel with several lines of water as they worked for hours to control hot spots. The department said there was heavy fire across all three floors on the east side of the building when firefighters arrived.

Drone video shows charred Nantucket hotel following blaze Credit: Travis Ray

The fire spread to several of the buildings. Many of them are “total losses,” according to the department.

The hotel was left completely gutted and charred debris littered the street after part of the building collapsed.

The department said all guests were safely evacuated.

The Nantucket Police Department urged the public to stay away from the area of North Water Street, Center Street, Step Lane, and Ash Street.

The three-story hotel dates back to the late 1600s. It features 18 rooms and suites, and it overlooks the harbor. It recently underwent renovations in 2020, according to the Nantucket Resort Collection.

Peter Keady, a Pennsylvania native, was staying just two blocks away when the fire started. He shared photos of the scene on Facebook with a caption that read, “Total loss of the Veranda House on Nantucket.”

There were no injuries to civilians. Two firefighters were taken to the hospital with possible heat exhaustion and a third was transported with a back injury, the fire department said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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