POLAND — An unfinished, 8,000-square-foot addition to the Poland Fire and Rescue building collapsed early Thursday amid high winds.
Around 4 a.m. Thursday morning, strong winds knocked down a portion of an addition to the Poland Fire/Rescue building.
Around 4 a.m. Thursday morning, strong winds knocked down a portion of an addition to the Poland Fire/Rescue building.
No one was hurt, Fire Chief Mark Bosse said. However, the collapse caused thousands of dollars in damage and likely will delay the project by about two weeks.
The collision occurred at about 4 a.m. as firefighters were returning to the Poland Corner Road station after rushing to a car crash.
"The crew was inside and they heard a loud bang," Bosse said.
For a moment, they thought it was snow sliding off the metal roof. But this was much louder.
"The walls and stuff had all come down," Bosse said.
Construction on the project — capped at $2.3 million — had been under way for about a month. The building was intended to include storage space, offices, a locker room and a bunk room.
The walls had been erected and trusses for the roof were installed Wednesday.
At first light Thursday, all that remained standing was the rear wall. The wooden structure resembled a pile of matchsticks.
By noon, structural engineers, workers from contractor PM Construction and town selectmen had visited the scene. All seemed to be going well, said Randall LaClaire, a consultant representing the town's interest in the project. He said it would rebound quickly. The company and its insurance carrier are liable for the damage, he said. Replacement materials had already been ordered.
Besides the addition, the project includes code upgrades to the fire station. Workers hope to be finished in late spring.
dhartill@ sunjournal.com
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