sponsored by
08/11/2008
enlarge
Staff photo by Andy Molloyfrom the Kennebec Journal
Finding shelter for those who serve their nation
Immigrant recalls her special greeting
State gains $85M in Homeland Security funds
Man arrested after swerve toward cop
School unit in limbo
Rain? What rain?
LEE LATCHES ON WITH THOMAS
Modern camping equipment takes it to the extreme
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Kennebec Journal
from the Morning Sentinel
Civil War-era flag finds honored position
Residents wonder if the rain will ever go away
FAIRFIELD Sewage plant rejection irks man
Winslow's fireworks guy doesn't mind the obscurity
At holiday derby, the fun is catching
Vets' champion 'very passionate' about her work
Hersom deals with change
Sandals work for outdoor types
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Morning Sentinel
AUGUSTA -- Frank Halloran heard the fire alarm in his apartment building early Sunday morning and figured someone had burned breakfast again.
So he turned on the television.
But when the smoke-detection system didn't quit sounding, Halloran said he ventured out into the hallway.
"I've only been here since Wednesday and it's the third time the alarm went off, so I just turned the TV on," Halloran said. "But then I went out into the hallway. I saw the manager's door ajar and smoke coming out of it. So I knew something was up."
Eighteen people were forced to leave their homes Sunday after a blaze that started in the first-floor apartment of John Dubief, manager of the 14-unit North Street apartment building owned by Larry Fleury.
Augusta Fire Chief Roger Audette said fire crews responded to the call just after 8:20 a.m. He said flames were shooting out of the lower-floor windows of the old rambling building when they arrived.
To their credit, he said, firefighters had the blaze under control within 15 minutes and the fire was contained primarily to the first-floor apartment.
No injuries were reported.
Ed Newcombe stood in his pajamas and watched firemen throw smoldering contents of the first-floor apartment out charred, broken side windows.
"I heard the fire alarm go off and came into the living room," Newcombe said. "It smelled like burning plastic. John (Dubief) came and said get the hell out of there. He gave me his cell phone and said call the fire department. I have to get everyone out. I told him you just have to call 911. I'm glad the alarm went off. Otherwise I wouldn't have known."
Residents of the apartment building will need shelter, Audette said, because of fire damage to the electrical system. Central Maine Power Co. disconnected service at the electric-meter location.
Audette said he contacted the local American Red Cross and requested that they find the displaced tenants temporary housing.
"There's enough damage to the electrical system that we can't put anybody back in there until the building is renovated enough so they can return to their units," Audette said.
Fleury said he has two vacancies in his other rental properties that will be given to a group of migrant workers who rent two apartments in the North Street building.
He said they were in the blueberry fields Sunday morning when the fire occurred and that they come every summer to pick fruit.
"I looked at my vacancy list," Fleury said. "Usually in the summer, everything is filled. But I have two units available so I'll be able to help them. So that works out perfect."
Audette said investigators from the Fire Marshall's Office had been called in to determine the cause of the fire.
He said his department has responded to a number of fire calls at 30 North St.
Two years ago, the building was deemed unsafe after Augusta fire crews responded to investigate a fire that looked like arson in one of the unit's bathrooms. The fire had been put out by tenants in the building.
At that time, Audette said fire inspectors and city code inspectors noticed various code violations including a nonfunctioning fire-alarm system.
"There's a lot of different reasons (for not allowing tenants back into the building)," Audette said. "The year before last, we had several fires set in this building and we had the fire marshal in here investigating. After one of those last ones, we shut the building down because there were some code issues. So there's been some issues."
Fleury said he corrected previous code violations and the working fire alarm now automatically alerts the fire department.
The length of time tenants will be displaced depends on the extent of the damage, Fleury said. On Sunday morning, he had been in contact with his electrician.
"They won't have electricity until I get my electrician here," he said.
Audette said Augusta firefighters were assisted by Togus and Gardiner fire departments and off-duty Augusta fire personnel.
He said they did a fantastic job extinguishing the fire.
"They got in there quickly and knocked it down," he said. "And nobody got hurt."
Mechele Cooper -- 623-3811, Ext. 408
mcooper@centralmaine.com
Reader comments
Click here to view or add reader comments