A dramatic Friday morning fire at a boat storage facility in Damaricotta was likely started by sparks from a grinder or lithium ion batteries, according to the state fire marshal’s office.
The fire was shortly after 10 a.m. at 460 Main St., the location of Chasse Marine Company.
Firefighters arrived to find heavy fire conditions, and drivers were asked to detour from Route 1.
A video obtained by WMTW showed an apparent explosion while firefighters were at the scene.
One man received minor injuries and was treated and released at Maine Health-Miles Memorial Hospital, the fire marshal’s office said.
Investigators determined that the fire was accidental and identified two possible sources in the area where the fire started.
At the time the fire began, a worker was “performing grinding operations, and investigators could not rule out the possibility that a spark from grinding ignited the fire,” the fire marshal’s office said, adding that witnesses reported lithium-ion batteries present in the area, which also could have been an ignition source.
The building was insured, according to the fire marshal’s office.
