The headquarters of the Fraternal Order of the Eagle's Aerie erupted into flames on January 17th, 1977. The two story building had been at 57 Birch Street and caught fire after an explosion ignited inside of the clubhouse. Following the first explosion, another spread flames to the nearby apartment building. A resident of the apartment building commented to the Biddeford Daily Journal that he had heard the first explosion at 2:30 a.m. and went outside to see what had happened. He was then thrown to the ground by the second explosion and suffered minor burns and lacerations to his face and chest.