Firefighters scramble to get hoses on an apt. building fire at 17 Deering Street in Norway Saturday. Firefighters from more than a dozen area departments, respond to the five-alarm fire. A.M. Sheehan
Flames shoot through the roof and window of an attached barn at 17 Deering St. in Norway Saturday. Multiple fire departments responded before the fire was knocked down. A.M. Sheehan
NORWAY — Firefighters responded to a five-alarm structure fire Saturday afternoon at 17 Deering St., where at least one woman was taken to the hospital.
Bystanders said the fire started after noon. The two-story structure is a multifamily building with four or five units.
All occupants of the building made it out, according to Norway Fire Chief Dennis Yates, however the building was a total loss.
The cause of the fire was not available Saturday.
At 2:30 p.m., flames could be seen coming from the second floor of the building. Damage was visible from the first floor to the roof. Firefighters cut through the roof around 3:30 p.m.
Matthew Leonard, who lives across the street from the building at 35 Deering St., said he came outside around 12:30 p.m. and saw a woman with two children run from the building, with flames shooting out of it.
Four local people carried a woman out of the building before firefighters arrived, he said. The woman was later loaded into an ambulance and transported to the hospital.
Other injuries could not be confirmed as of 8 p.m.
The fire was so hot, Leonard said he could feel it while standing more than 50 feet away.
Before the firefighters arrived, Leonard said he was worried the blaze would spread to neighboring buildings, including a nearby women’s shelter.
No other buildings appear to have caught fire. However, an attached barn and a car parked next to the building were both burned.
Once firefighters showed up, the flames were beat down quickly, he said.
The fire was under control by 5 p.m. The Office of State Fire Marshal was on scene to investigate.
“If we had sprinklers (in the building), it would have helped us 1,000%,” Yates said.
The Red Cross was requested to help four adults and two children.
Firefighters from West Paris, Oxford, Norway, South Paris, Poland, Hebron, Mechanic Falls, Harrison, Auburn, Raymond, New Gloucester, Naples, Greenwood and other local departments were at the scene.
The property is owned by Northeast Rental and was assessed at $120,300, according to Norway’s 2022 tax commitment map.
Local police deferred to Maine State Police for more information on the investigation.
Vanessa Paolella — 207-689-2850
vpaolella@sunjournal.com
Twitter: @vapaolella
Vanessa Paolella — 207-689-2850
vpaolella@sunjournal.com
Twitter: @vapaolella
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