SCARBOROUGH, Maine — State officials said Tuesday afternoon that a three-alarm fire that tore through a business complex in Scarborough overnight Monday caused at least $1 million in damage.
Stephen McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said in a news release that the state fire marshal’s office has determined the blaze was accidental in nature.
“Fire investigators say an electrical malfunction in a first floor ceiling started the fire,” McCausland said. “The fire started in the offices of Chapman Chiropractic Center, located in the back of the building.”
Four fire marshal’s office investigators worked through the morning on Tuesday to determine the cause, McCausland said.
The fire, which was reported just after 7 p.m. Monday at the Scarborough Commons facility at 153 Route 1, attracted firefighters from six communities, according to Portland television station WGME, CBS 13.
CBS 13 said that Route 1 was closed during the late-night and early morning hours as firefighters battled the blaze, but the route was reopened about 4:15 a.m. Tuesday.
Richard Aube, who owns the structure, said at least 12 office tenants, including doctors, lawyers and accountants, were displaced by the fire.
“I just feel bad for everybody who’s got businesses in here, because I’m sure they’re all destroyed by water if nothing else,” he told CBS 13. “I’m still a little shocked.”
Scarborough Fire Department officials said three firefighters were taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion but are expected to be OK, the television station reported.
