A witness reported seeing at least two young people near the building shortly before it went up in flames.
LEWISTON – Two local teens were arrested Wednesday in connection with a weekend fire that destroyed an Adams Avenue storage building.
The 15-year-old Lewiston boys were each charged with arson and burglary after detectives questioned the pair Wednesday afternoon.
Although fire investigators believe the blaze was set from the outside of the storage facility, police say the two teens had entered the building before it went up in flames Sunday night.
Police detectives Marc Robitaille and Brian O’Malley began working the case after fire officials declared it suspicious.
Over the past three days, the detectives gathered several leads that led to the two teens as suspects, according to Lewiston Deputy Police Chief Michael Bussiere.
Police did not disclose motives for the alleged arson. A witness reported seeing at least two young people near the building shortly before it went up in flames.
The two teens arrested Wednesday were taken to Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland.
Fire inspectors were continuing to investigate the cause of the blaze in an attempt to learn exactly how it was set.
The wood framed, aluminum sided storage building was engulfed by the time firefighters got to the scene, officials said. Lewiston crews were joined by firefighters from three other towns as they battled the fire.
Five cars – including a classic Ford Mustang – were lost to the fire when flames spread through the building.
Among other items lost in the blaze was a boat, lawn mowers and wiring materials being used in a nearby housing project. Damage to the building and its contents was estimated at between $50,000 and $100,000.
The storage building owned by local businessmen Bruce Myrick and Blaine Akerley was constructed in the 1960s.
Morrell said the fire appeared to have started at the rear, right side of the building, although the specifics about how the fire was set remained unclear.
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