AUGUSTA — A circuit overloaded by a permitted marijuana growing operation sparked a Saturday fire that damaged a Green Street home.
A male tenant, who was home alone, was taken to the hospital after complaining of chest pain, Augusta Fire Chief Roger Audette said.
Additional Images
Audette estimated the fire caused $40,000 worth of damage.
“The fire was in a couple of walls and floors,” he said. “We had to really dig it out.”
The home, at 101 Green St., is uninhabitable, Audette said. He did not notify the Red Cross to help with essentials and housing because the tenant went to the hospital, but Audette said those services would be offered.
The fire was sparked by an overloaded electrical circuit, Audette said.
“In the back there were all kinds of electrical cords,” he said.
Augusta police Sgt. Christopher Shaw said it appears the cords are associated with a marijuana growing operation. Shaw said the tenant and his wife have medical permits to use marijuana.
Audette notified the state fire marshal about the fire because a person was taken to the hospital, although the medical problem was not caused by the fire.
The home is owned by David Gloth, of Malden, Mass.-based EBMST LLC.
The tenant reported the fire around noon, Audette said. The tenant first called the property manager, who instructed to the tenant to call the Fire Department.
The response also was delayed by a moving van on Green Street that was blocking the road, which forced responders to take a detour and approach the house from the upper end of Green Street.
“We had trouble getting here,” Audette said.
Togus and Gardiner helped cover other calls in Augusta, and Gardiner sent a crew to Green Street to help put the fire out. Crews remained on scene for a few hours dousing hot spots.
“It was not a big fire, but just a difficult one to put out,” Audette said.
Craig Crosby — 621-5642
Twitter: @CraigCrosby4
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.