STOCKTON SPRINGS, Maine — A few years ago, Mark Thomas built a firetruck for the Stockton Springs Volunteer Fire Department. Tuesday morning, he watched as firefighters used that truck to fight a fire that was devouring his Route 1 business, Mark’s Garage.
Though no one was hurt in the blaze that started sometime after the garage opened for the day, it appeared to be a total loss, according to Vern Thompson, the assistant chief of the Stockton Springs Volunteer Fire Department.
“It was pretty intense,” he said, adding that the fire was fully involved when fire crews assisted at about 8:45 a.m. “This is his livelihood. He’s a good man. It’s really sad.”
While Thompson spoke, at least 20 firefighters and rescue personnel from Stockton Springs, Searsport and Prospect were busy laying down water on hot spots and making sure the fire was out. The acrid smell of burned metal and rubber hung in the air, and the men and women who were hard at work looked tired and grimy from their efforts. Inside the twisted, melted remains of the building, a burned-out car was visible.
Thomas was hoping that he could save his files, according to the assistant chief. One official at the scene said the building was insured.
Although the cause of the fire was not known, Thompson said they would not be calling the State Fire Marshal’s Office. When crews arrived, the garage bays on one side had burned and the fire had reached into the roof.
“It’s an open building. Once [the fire] gets in the roof and trusses, you cannot get personnel safely inside,” he said.
Man that sucks!
What a shame this is. Mark is a good, honest mechanic trying to make a living for himself… and now this happens. I hope he rebuilds. Best of luck to him.
Curious that there have been so many fires around Stockton Springs the last couple of years. I think Harris and Green Valley Rd’s have had 4 houses burn over that time and not so awful far apart in location either. There was a home on Mt. Ephraim that burnt too.
Wow, people on here much have very strong calfs, they jump to conclusions very quickly!!! Sorry for your loss Mark, hope you can rebound from this and come back to be stronger then ever!
It never ceases to amaze me how cynical and mean-spirited some people are. It’s postings like this that can destroy someone’s reputation. This guy just lost his business and garbage like this gets posted.
I would think this is the call of the fire chief.
I know Mark and know that he and his people deserve the benefit of sincere kind thoughts at this terrible time.
Something that is all too lacking here in anonymous comment land.
Best of luck to Mark, Lee and Rick. I will check in with them tomorrow.
They deserve all the help they can get. They are fine people.
Mark’s been through a lot in the last few years. It’s awful to see that the shop’s gone. Kenny, Mark, and Rich have been working hard on my car every weekend for the last few weeks, and if it weren’t for them I wouldn’t even be on the road. Such a shame.