PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A large fire on Wednesday afternoon destroyed a large machine shed in Presque Isle owned by a farming business.
The shed, which was approximately 40 feet by 75 feet, was a total loss. The fire was ruled accidental, according to Presque Isle Fire Capt. Dylan Cyr.
The call first came in at 2:10 p.m., reporting a shed on fire at the Parkhurst Siding Road. The department then called on its volunteers to respond and contacted Caribou Fire and Ambulance for assistance.
The machine shed was owned by Staples Farms in Presque Isle. Firefighters focused on bringing down the flames and preventing the fire from extending farther to nearby fuel tanks.
In addition to Caribou and Presque Isle’s departments, the Maine Forest Service and Versant Power also responded.
About 20 personnel altogether were on the scene. They fought the fire until 5:05 p.m.
Aside from ensuring the fire did not spread to the fuel tanks, Cyr said, the heat posed a significant challenge for the crew.
“The biggest thing was the heat yesterday afternoon,” he said. “The temperatures were pretty high.”