WATERVILLE — State fire investigators continue to probe the cause of a fire Wednesday that left five people homeless.
Sgt. Ken Grimes of the Office of the State Fire Marshal said that the investigation at the scene is complete. “The origin was in the second-floor apartment; however, the cause is still under investigation.”
“We have some more people to talk to and some more information to take a look at before we can classify,” he said.
The fire, reported at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, ripped through the second floor of the wooden building, which has two apartments, as firefighters from Waterville, Winslow and Oakland rushed to the scene. It is the fifth building on the east side of Silver Street as one enters from Spring Street.
At the building Friday morning, “no trespassing” signs were posted on the doors and yellow police tape was tied to the railings of the front porch. Many of the windows in the building were missing on the upper floors, smashed by firefighters Wednesday as they fought the fire.
A child’s wading pool full of water was on the ground in the backyard next to toys and an outdoor lounge chair. Flower baskets hung from the front porch near the door, which was boarded up.
On the second floor, charred bedsprings were visible through the frame of a missing window. On the west side of the building, melted venetian blinds hung from second-story windows.
Waterville fire Capt. John Gromek, who also investigated the fire, said the building’s tenants don’t want to be identified. He said the American Red Cross is helping them.
A message left Friday morning on the answering machine of Warren and Connie Clement, of Sidney, who own the building, was not returned immediately.
Fire officials said the fire started in the bedroom of the second floor apartment where two men, a woman and an 8-month-old girl live. The baby and her parents had left the apartment about 20 minutes before the fire started to go to a doctor’s appointment for the child for a follow-up visit after surgery, officials said.
A woman who lived in the first-floor apartment was at work when the fire started, but she arrived later as firefighters worked at the scene. She did not want to be identified or comment on the fire.
Gromek said the building, which is insured by State Farm Insurance, is managed by Bruce Hutchinson, of Millinocket. He said Hutchinson expected to meet the insurance adjuster Friday in Waterville.
Amy Calder — 861-9247
Twitter: @AmyCalder17
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