AUBURN — Fire crews hosed down hot spots Monday as investigators began searching for the cause of a blaze late Sunday night that leveled a four-story apartment building under construction on Mount Auburn Avenue.

No injuries were reported.

The Office of State Fire Marshal, Auburn Police Department Criminal Investigation Division and the Auburn Fire Department investigator are involved in learning what started the blaze at Mount Auburn Apartments, according to Fire Department statement.

Vinyl siding on a second four-story apartment building in the complex melted from the heat.

Emily Mitchell, director of development for A.R. Building Co., declined to comment Monday afternoon.

A report of the fire about 10 p.m. said the fourth floor and roof of the building was ablaze. Within minutes, flames shooting at least 30 feet into the air could be seen from nearby towns.

Witnesses reported “huge flames” as crews from Auburn and other towns began to battle the blaze.

The complex is next to BJ’s Wholesale Club.

Police shut down a section of Mount Auburn Avenue, between Gracelawn Avenue and the Walmart entrance, as more fire crews responded. Fire crews staged in the Kohl’s parking lot, across the street from the scene.

By 11:30 p.m., a fourth alarm was sounded. Firefighters from 11 departments were called, along with crews from Central Maine Power, Unitil and the Auburn Water Department. The departments included Lewiston, Turner, Durham, Mechanic Falls, Paris, Oxford, Poland, Minot, Gray, New Gloucester and North Yarmouth. United Ambulance also responded.

Firefighters hose down hot spots Monday morning at Mount Auburn Apartments on Mount Auburn Avenue in Auburn. One of two four-story apartment buildings under construction was leveled by flames. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

About 11:20 p.m., crews reported that no flames were visible on the roof of the store or other nearby buildings.

Lily Tarmey, 18, said she could feel the heat from the fire even from a distance.

Fire and police officials moved crowds away from BJ’s for fear that the flames would reach the gas pumps there.

Mt. Auburn Avenue was reopened as of 12:30 p.m. Monday, according to an Auburn Police Department Facebook post.

Construction of the apartment complex began in January of 2023, with 102 apartments in the works. It is the first apartment complex being built in Maine by developer, A.R. Building Co., out of Pennsylvania, with an estimated cost listed on its permit application of $15 million.

The mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom market-rate apartments are already listed on the company’s website as accepting applications, with prices ranging from $1,880-$2,430.