SEDGWICK (AP) – State investigators continue to look for links among a recent string of arson fires.

Fire officials met in Augusta on Wednesday, just a day after a fire destroyed a vacant building in Sedgwick.

The fire in Sedgwick fire was deliberately set, according to Sgt. Tim York of the state fire marshal’s office.

Fire officials have investigated five barn fires in the state within a little more than a week, according to Public Safety Department spokesman Steve McCausland.

Three of the barn fires, two in Albion and one in Thomaston, have been ruled arson, he said. The cause of a third barn fire in Albion is undetermined, and a barn fire in Swanville remains under investigation.

In addition to the Sedgwick fire, the fire marshal’s office is investigating an arson fire on Oct. 5 that caused minor damage to the exterior of the East Benton Christian Church in Benton.

“Investigators met here at the state fire marshal’s office today to review the fires to this point, to go over their notes and to get further assignments,” McCausland said Wednesday. “They are working very hard to find out who is responsible.”

The Sedgwick fire started at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday and was burning on both floors of the vacant building when firefighters arrived on the scene.

The fire had burned out through the exterior of the building before crews could pour any water on the blaze, Fire Chief David Carter said.

“We made an initial attack and knocked it down some, but we ran out of water,” Carter said. The fire flared up again before mutual aid arrived from other towns.

McCausland said it was too early in the investigation to speculate on what may have triggered the arson fires or to release details of the investigations.

The fire marshal’s office has advised residents to be vigilant and to use exterior lights around their property if they have them.

“If something doesn’t look right, we want law enforcement to know about it,” he said.

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Information from: Bangor Daily News, http://www.bangornews.com

AP-ES-10-12-06 1326EDT