FARMINGTON — A fire that heavily damaged an Industry Road house Wednesday night was caused by an electrical overload in an outlet, according to a state fire official.

The fire in the 1 1/2-story home was not suspicious, Sgt. Ken Grimes, of the State Fire Marshal’s Office, said Thursday.

Additional Photos

Sgt. Ken Grimes, right, of the state Fire Marshal's Office, said Thursday that the fire inside the Farmington home was caused by an electrical overload in an outlet and was not suspicious. Grimes was joined by Farmington Fire Chief Terry Bell after the home on Industry Road seriously damaged by fire Wednesday night. Bell said the fire started in a rear bedroom at left. There were no injuries. Staff photo by David Leaming

Fire crews found a first-floor bedroom in the back of the house fully in flames when they arrived, and it took nearly five dozen firefighters two hours to extinguish them, said Farmington Fire Chief Terry Bell. The fire started in the bedroom, he said.

The tenant who lives in the building, Timothy Koenig, was not at home, but he returned while the fire was in progress, Bell said.

There were no injuries, Bell said, but two cats are unaccounted for.

The fire at 425 Industry Road was reported at 9:14 p.m. by either a neighbor or a passer-by who spotted the fire, Bell said.

The house’s owner, Linda Shipley, lives in Freeport, Bell said. The house was not insured, but Koenig had renter’s insurance, he said.

Koenig is staying in a motel temporarily.

The effort drew 56 firefighters from Chesterville, Farmington, Industry, Jay, New Sharon, Temple, Strong and Wilton, as well as the Farmington Police Department, Northstar Ambulance and the American Red Cross.

Kaitlin Schroeder — 861-9252
kschroeder@mainetoday.com

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