SKOWHEGAN — A historic mansion that once belonged to a former Maine governor suffered severe damage from a fire Friday afternoon.

A second-alarm fire was reported at the Civil War-era home at 24 Main St. around 4 p.m. Friday. Flames could be seen bursting from the building’s roof and windows on its second floor, according to several witnesses.

“At first, it was a lot of smoke pouring up near the chimney, and then some flames started coming up from the same spot,” said Chane Owen, a Skowhegan resident who lives nearby. “I saw the black smoke start rising from down the street and booked it right down here.”

Smoke was seen billowing from the roof of the building as a crowd of several dozen onlookers gathered along the street to watch firefighters battle the blaze.

Responding firefighters used a ladder truck to knock holes in the mansion’s roof, smash through second-floor windows and pry off exterior siding.

No one was inside the building when the blaze ignited, fire officials said at the scene, and most of the damage was contained to the mansion’s second floor and attic.

Authorities respond to a blaze Friday at the historic former Gov. Abner Coburn mansion at 24 Main St. in Skowhegan. Photo courtesy of SE Photography

The home once belonged to Abner Coburn of Skowhegan, who served as Maine governor from 1863-64 and amassed a fortune in his lifetime. The mansion fell into disrepair over the years.

Built in the Greek revival style, the Coburn mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It was listed as threatened and among Maine’s most endangered historic resources by Maine Preservation in 1998.

Firefighters respond to a blaze Friday at the historic former Gov. Abner Coburn mansion at 24 Main St. in Skowhegan.

It was not immediately clear what caused the fire.

Renovations were reportedly being made to the building as its current owners look to resell the property. Power tools and construction equipment could be seen on the porch and lawn in front of the building.

“The people that were working in there — there were maybe two or three of them — I saw them running out of the building, trying to move their tools and truck from outside to make way for the fire trucks,” Owen said.

Firefighters from Skowhegan, Waterville, Fairfield, Norridgewock, Cornville, Anson, Solon and Canaan responded to the scene. Roughly two dozen firefighters began clearing the building shortly after 5:15 p.m., but still remained at the scene through 6 p.m. as the last remnants of the blaze were extinguished.