ROCKLAND, Maine — Firefighters are crediting alert occupants and the department’s thermal imaging camera for finding a fire in the attic at 80 Park St.
The home, owned by Jessie Stuart, was damaged in the attic and second-floor ceiling area.
Lt. Jamie Leo said the occupants called for help at 4:06 a.m. after they had been smelling something burning, then noticed some electrical problems and couldn’t get an electrical outlet reset.
“The only way we found the fire in the ceiling joists was by using our camera,” Leo said. Since everyone that lived in the building was involved with searching for the problem, all were evacuated safely and there were no injuries. Leo did not know how many people lived in the duplex.
Leo said the fire started in some older, knob-and-tube wiring.
Rockland sent 15 firefighters, two engines, a tower truck and two ambulances to the scene. They were able to quickly find and extinguish the fire and finished up about an hour and a half later.