1 min read

No one was hurt in a two-alarm fire Thursday at a home in the North Deering area of Portland.

Although firefighters are still investigating the cause, flames appear to have erupted in a second-floor bathroom that was being remodeled at 31 Samuel Road.

It’s possible the fire started when a plumber used a flame-powered torch to sweat pipe connections in the bathroom, said Deputy Fire Chief Mike Nixon. A plumbing van was outside the home.

Firefighters quickly knocked down the bulk of the flames, but some fire extended into the walls, insulation and garage, requiring firefighters to tear out wallboard to hose down hot spots, Nixon said.

Investigators were expected to examine the fire scene, Nixon said.

Matt Byrne has covered crime and public safety for the Press Herald since 2016. It is his second beat since being hired at the Press Herald in late 2012, when he left the Boston Globe's suburban news bureau....