The American Red Cross is assisting the seven people who lost their homes Sunday night when a fire broke out in a three-unit apartment building on Essex Street, according to the Bangor Fire Department.
Bangor Fire Department responded to the fire at 323 Essex St. at around 9:30 p.m. Sunday. The fire began in the front apartment and had not yet fully spread to the rear units when firefighters arrived, according to assistant fire chief Andrew Emery.
Seven residents, as well as two cats and a dog, safely escaped the burning building, and are being assisted by the Red Cross. Emery said one firefighter was treated for minor injuries and was released that night.
Most of the major damage was confined to the front unit, Emery said, while the rear units received less significant damage. The building is located not far from the intersection of Essex Street and Stillwater Avenue and is owned by Nona Cochran, according to city records.
Emery said in addition to Bangor, departments from Brewer, Holden and Orono responded to the call, as well as the Maine Air National Guard. Hermon and Glenburn covered the city while Bangor’s trucks were at the scene.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the state fire marshal’s office. The last multi-alarm fire Bangor firefighters responded to was on Dec. 22 on Fremont Street.