Island Point mill on fire

LEWISTON -- The Island Point mill overlooking the Great Falls, to be developed in a hotel and retail space, erupted in fire just before 4 p.m. Wednesday.

In approximately five minutes, the fire had spread from the south end of the building to the north end. The top two floors of the mill building are now fully engulfed in flames, with explosions heard inside the structure. Portions of the building appear to be collapsing.

Police have set up barricades for crowd control as hundreds of people ran to the scene to watch the flames and billowing smoke.

A good portion of the front of the Cowan mill has collapsed, and ash has traveled across the street and caught the roof of Bates Mill No. 5 on fire. Firefighters are moving their trucks to the Bates Mill to fight the second fire. That fire was put out shortly after firefighters tended to it.

Lewiston Police are looking for three teenagers in connection with the Cowan Mill fire. Two boys and a girl were reportedly seen running from the building shortly before the flames were spotted in the mill.

Lewiston police called in the morning shift for crowd control and are trying to push the crowd east of Lisbon Street.

Police have evacuated the Florida Power & Light office building, and spot fires have been reported near nearby Espo's restaurant.

Video taken at 3:57 p.m.:

Justin Pelletier/Sun Journal

Photo taken of the Cowan Mill around 4 p.m.

Justin Pelletier/Sun Journal

The Cowan Mill burning, taken around 4 p.m.

Justin Pelletier/Sun Journal

Island Point mill fire
Sun Journal Photo

Crews battle a blaze Wednesday afternoon on Island Point, north of Main Street in downtown Lewiston.

BatesMillonfire

The roof of Bates Mill #5 inLewiston can be seen on fire Wednesday afternoon. It is believed that embers from the blaze at the Cowen Mill started the fire at the Bates Mill.

Libbey Mill fire
Sun Journal photo

mill before it burned

An image taken in the past year of the Cowan Mill. (Sun Journal File Photo)

In order to make comments, you must verify your account.

In order to comment on SunJournal.com, you must use your real name and include the town in which you live in your profile. A member of our staff will call you to verify this information. To join in, fill out your user profile completely and check the box "please verify my status." We'll get back to you within one business day to verify your account.

Login or create an account here.

Our policy prohibits comments that are:

  • Defamatory, abusive, obscene, racist, or otherwise hateful
  • Excessively foul and/or vulgar
  • Inappropriately sexual
  • Baseless personal attacks or otherwise threatening
  • Contain illegal material, or material that infringes on the rights of others
  • Commercial postings attempting to sell a product/item
If you violate this policy, your comment will be removed and your account may be banned.

Advertisement

Comments

Brian_L's picture

Sad so sad another historic

Sad so sad another historic mill gone.

K0NPHL1C7's picture

Sooo.... A fire starts and

Sooo.... A fire starts and it's obviously a teenage? I'm thinking it was some old bag...You're the number one suspect.

Gary R's picture
verified

gone with jim bennet

gone with jim bennet

kmrobit's picture

and yet it was rude to clap

and yet it was rude to clap last night??

tron's picture

Urban Renewal, Lewiston

Urban Renewal, Lewiston style.

fedupmainer's picture

Wow. I can see the smoke

Wow. I can see the smoke from my office window. Hope the police catch the teenagers before they start another fire.

Advertisement

Stay informed — Get the news delivered for free in your inbox.

I'm interested in ...