A Saturday fire that destroyed a Presque Isle building started in an ash can in an attached shed, the state fire marshal’s office ruled Monday.
The blaze spread to other parts of the building and continued to burn the roof and walls, so Presque Isle Fire Department personnel returned to the scene later that morning, according to Maine Public Safety Department spokesperson Aaron Turcotte.
The three-story Main Street building housed several apartments and a business on the ground floor.
The blaze started in the early morning, according to city spokesperson Kim Smith.
Fire marshal investigators determined the bucket, which contained discarded ashes, caused the fire.
After the initial fire was extinguished, a second fire appeared to break out, Turcotte said. Investigators found the original fire was still burning, undetected, through “multiple layers of wall and roof materials,” which eventually burst into flames.
No injuries were reported, Smith and Turcotte said. It is not yet known how many people were displaced. The Red Cross was also present Saturday.
The fire marshal’s office urged residents and business owners to dispose of ashes properly, in a covered metal container stored outdoors, away from buildings and flammable materials.