Plymouth: Officials thankful plantation fire wasn’t worse

Officials say a building at the Plimoth Plantation living history museum was destroyed after a fire spread from the fireplace to the straw roof.

No one was hurt in the fire at the Cooke House, a Colonial-era style building.

The plantation’s executive director, Ellie Donovan, said the fire started during a cooking demonstration.

Plimoth Plantation portrays what 17th century life was like for America’s early European settlers, the Pilgrims, and the native population.

Donovan said the plantation will raise money to rebuild the Cooke building, which was named after Francis Cooke, who arrived in America on the Mayflower.

The plantation was closed for about an hour after the blaze, and Plymouth Fire Department officials said it was lucky that gusty winds didn’t blow embers to the other wooden structures in the mock village.