WATERVILLE — Nine people were displaced early Wednesday when their two-story, single-family home at 12 Chase Ave. was significantly damaged by fire.
The Office of State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire, according to Waterville fire Chief Jason Frost, who said it may have started in an attached two-car garage.
“There’s heavy fire damage in the garage and significant damage on the first and second floors of the house,” he said.
He said the fire was reported at 3:15 a.m. by a family member. Family members were sleeping at the time of the fire and Frost said he was told a family member awoke, thought they smelled smoke, went out to the garage and was met with a wall of smoke.
Everyone got out of the house, and one family member went to the hospital for minor smoke inhalation, according to Frost. The American Red Cross is helping the family, whose identity Frost said he didn’t know.
“As far as their belongings go, they lost most everything,” he said.
Between 30 and 35 firefighters from Waterville, Winslow, Oakland, Fairfield and Skowhegan fire departments responded to the blaze, Frost said.
“They were met with heavy smoke and heavy flames when they pulled up on the scene,” he said.
Central Maine Power Co. shut off power to the home and Delta Ambulance stood by the scene, he said. The Waterville police and public works departments also responded, with public works sanding the roads affected by water.
Frost said it had been a long day for firefighters, who on Tuesday had responded to the crash on Interstate 95 where two workers from Maine Department of Transportation were killed.
“They deserve a much-needed rest this morning,” he said.
Frost said he left the fire scene around 7 a.m. and the last crews left around 8 a.m. The home is believed to be insured, according to Frost.
Chase Avenue starts at the intersection of First Rangeway and Western Avenue and turns into Lincoln Street, which ends at Washington Street. The home where the fire occurred is a few houses from First Rangeway, not far from Mount Merci School and Delta Ambulance.
