Local News

Nantucket’s iconic Veranda House inn destroyed in massive fire

The fire broke out Saturday morning, engulfing the historic bed and breakfast and spreading to nearby buildings.

By Morgan Rousseau

July 9, 2022

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A massive fire ravaged Nantucket’s historic Veranda House Saturday, severely damaging the downtown bed and breakfast that dates back to the 17th century. 

It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the fire. No injuries were reported, and all occupants were believed to have evacuated the building.  

Yarmouth firefighters and others from Cape Cod assisted Nantucket’s fire department with the blaze. 

Nearby structures also caught fire, and were evacuated. The fire broke out at 7 a.m., and firefighters were still working on getting the blaze under control at the noon, according to Nantucket police.

Nantucket Deputy Fire Chief Sean Mitchell told the Nantucket Current that the fire was well underway when firefighters first arrived on the scene. Mitchell described the scene as “heavy, heavy fire from the Veranda House” and said responders were holding the blaze to three buildings. 

Mitchell told the Current: 

“These are old buildings. Some of them are very close together. Yeah. And it’s tough to access as you can see from the width of some of these streets. Luckily, the first crew came here and they got here pretty quickly. They were able to knock it down for the most part. But yeah, it’s difficult. We’re gonna be here for a while.”

Images and videos shared on social media show the inn charred and engulfed in flames. 

One video showed onlookers watching as smoke billowed from the area.

The inn, located at 3 Step Lane, is one of the most iconic structures on Nantucket. It was built in 1684 and renovated in 2007. It offers 18 guest rooms.