OLD TOWN, Maine — Old Town firefighters were able to quickly extinguish an early morning blaze at an apartment building on Friday thanks to a tip from a former colleague.
Mike Sturgeon, a former assistant fire chief with the department, notified Old Town fire officials of a fire at 13 High St. early Friday, Old Town Fire Chief Steve O’Malley said. Sturgeon lives next door to the building.
O’Malley said the building contains four apartments. Six tenants were home when the fire broke out, but Sturgeon was able to alert them, and the tenants got out safely before firefighters arrived.
“We were able to just concentrate on firefighting efforts, which is always good,” O’Malley said.
Firefighters were able to minimize the damage to the building, O’Malley said.
“I think there’s a possibility three of the apartments can be occupied tonight or as soon as the electrical crews clear the building,” he said, but one of the units will “need some major overhaul.”
“That one apartment has some damage from the fire itself and some damage from the efforts of ours,” O’Malley said.
He believes the fire started in the basement.
Crews from Orono, Milford and Bangor assisted at the scene. O’Malley said Old Town crews are investigating the cause.
