ROCKLAND, Maine — A woman was taken to the hospital Tuesday night as a fire damaged a James Street house.
Investigators were called in to look into what was described as a suspicious fire.
The woman, whose name was not immediately released, was found outside the house at 29 James St. by firefighters and police officers who arrived about 9 p.m. The woman was able to walk but was assisted by public safety officers before being taken by ambulance to Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport.
Fire Chief Christopher Whytock said at about 9:30 p.m. firefighters were searching the home to make sure no one else had been inside.
Jeffrey Mercier, who lives across the street, said he heard a loud noise before he looked outside, saw the fire and then called 911.
When crews arrived, flames were shooting out the house’s windows. The electrical line to the home had fallen and was sparking when the first firetruck arrived.
Rockland police Sgt. Matthew Lindahl said the fire was suspicious and that both detectives from the Police Department as well as state fire marshal investigators were going to look at what caused the fast-moving fire.
Crews from Thomaston, Rockport, Camden, South Thomaston and Northeast ambulance were called in to assist Rockland. Whytock said that crews did an amazing job to stop the fire quickly. The fire was contained to a large living room in the front of the house with smoke damage elsewhere. He said crews initially stopped the fire from spreading up the stairwell and then searched the house to make sure no one else was inside.
The house is owned by Herbert and Elizabeth Cole, according to city assessment records. The two-story house is assessed at $103,800.
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