WATERVILLE — A fire that damaged an abandoned warehouse Thursday morning at 8 Chaplin St. was caused by an electrical malfunction, fire officials said.

Firefighters from Waterville and Winslow as well as members of the Waterville Police Department went to the fire scene just before noon Thursday, shutting down that section of the street.

The abandoned building, which is near railroad tracks, belongs to JSJ Realty, of Winslow, according to a news release from the Waterville Fire Department. It was used formerly as a storage warehouse for Noyes Stove Co. and was built around 1900.

By mid-afternoon Thursday, the Fire Department had not been able to contact the building’s owners, the release said.

The fire originated in concealed electrical wiring in an outside wall on the second floor, according to the release.

No injuries were reported and the fire inflicted no damage on nearby buildings, which include the shops and restaurants in Railroad Square.

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Lisa Patterson, who owns Aristo Hair Design next door to the building, said she saw flames coming from the roof and called the Fire Department. She said she has worked next door to the building for 10 years and doesn’t remember it ever having been in use.

“It’s really just an eyesore and it’s dangerous,” she said of the building.

In addition to the two fire departments, the Office of the State Fire Marshal was at the scene.

 

Rachel Ohm — 612-2368

rohm@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @rachel_ohm


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