November 10th Update from our Director:

Hi everyone,

You may have heard that there was a small fire in the library’s chimney this morning. First things first, I want to make sure you know that everyone is alright, and our building is okay. Thank you to all of the community members that have expressed concern.

Here’s a bit more information about the situation:

• This morning around 10:00, library staff smelled smoke, so we turned off our boiler and called the fire department. 
• The Millinocket Fire Department was on the scene within minutes and determined that there was a small fire in our chimney. They called in the East Millinocket and Medway Fire Departments as well to better access the top of the chimney.
• The firefighters worked diligently to unclog the chimney and remove excess ash from the premises. 

The building is safe to occupy, but the library will remain closed for the rest of the day to allow us to get the boiler and chimney fully cleaned and serviced. We apologize for the inconvenience and look forward to welcoming you back on Monday. 

We will be debriefing this incident, and we’re committed to learning if there are additional measures we can take to minimize risks going forward. 

I want to extend a sincere thank you to the Millinocket Fire Department, East Millinocket Fire Department, Medway Fire Department, and Millinocket Police Department for their quick and effective response. These folks are a hardworking and compassionate group of people who work tirelessly to keep this community safe. Here at the library we appreciate their service greatly, especially on days like these.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us here at 207-723-7020 or shoot me an email at diana@millinocketmemoriallibrary.org. 

Best,

Diana Furukawa, Library Director