Firefighters from four towns worked to control blaze
SABATTUS – Fire destroyed a Depot Street camp early Wednesday night, but firefighters kept flames from spreading to buildings on either side of the burning home.
Crews from four towns battled the 6 p.m. blaze at 61 Depot St., maneuvering firetrucks along the narrow, dirt road near Sabattus Lake.
Mike Dennis, who lives in the camp year-round, was not home when the fire began. His dog was later found unharmed, neighbors said.
Dennis later told fire officials he may have left a candle burning in his living room. However, Sabattus firefighters called the State Fire Marshal’s Office to assist with an investigation into the cause of the blaze.
There was no electricity running to the building, fire officials said.
Witnesses said smoke from the burning camp was visible more than a mile away on Route 126. Others were at their nearby homes when they saw and smelled smoke coming from Depot Street.
Theresa Dietrich said she was at her home at Garden Heights when she saw smoke pouring up over the trees. She walked to Depot Street where the 1-story camp was in flames and firefighters were rolling up to the scene.
“We got over here and it was ablaze. The front of it was on fire and there were flames on the roof,” Dietrich said.
Deport Street is off Sawyer Road, not far from the Sabattus Main Street Market.
When Sabattus Fire Chief Robert Scott and other crews first arrived at the scene, flames engulfed the front part of the first floor, according to firefighter Jon Mennealy.
While firefighters attacked the flames, others kept neighboring camps wet to minimize heat damage from the fire. Siding on those two buildings was blackened and blistered from the flames but the camps were otherwise spared.
Firefighters also kept the flames away from a pair of overhead power lines running to a camp near the burning building. Central Maine Power Co. crews were called to cut power to the lines.
It was not known what caused the blaze. Firefighters remained at the scene for more than three hours after the fire was brought under control.
Sabattus firefighters were assisted at the scene by firefighters from Lisbon, Wales and Lewiston.
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