Fires keep PIFD busy
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
FIRE DESTROYS HOME — A fire Tuesday morning destroyed the University Street home of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Beaulieu. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Here, Kyle Bartley, a firefighter with the Presque Isle Fire Department, sprays a hot spot in the garage, as a second unidentified firefighter uses a pole to knock down smoldering debris.
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Firefighters with the Presque Isle Fire Department were kept busy Tuesday morning, responding first to a house fire, then a car fire.
“The PIFD received a call around 7:10 a.m. and responded to a structure fire at 84 University St.,” said Captain Vince Baldwin, of the PIFD.
The home, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Michael Beaulieu, was fully engulfed within minutes of the call. Smoke could be seen from across town.
“Mr. Beaulieu was at home at the time of the fire but was able to get out safely,” said Baldwin.
A neighbor reportedly alerted the owner of the blaze, enabling the man to escape without injury. The family, however, did lose a pet.
“Although there were no injuries reported, one cat perished due to the fire,” said the fire captain.
Siding on neighboring homes sustained minor heat damage but firefighters were able to keep the blaze contained primarily to the one location.
“We kept the fire to the home and saved others in the immediate vicinity,” said Baldwin.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, said Baldwin.
A total of 14 firefighters, two engines and one ladder truck responded to the incident.
“We received mutual aid from the Mapleton Fire Department, with an engine and a crew at the scene. Caribou Fire Department covered the station,” said Baldwin.
Firefighters were on scene a couple hours making sure the blaze was extinguished.
“Having a full-time crew on hand allowed us to respond quickly, enabling us to keep the fire from causing more extensive damage to neighboring homes,” noted Baldwin.
Another fire call immediately following the house fire took the PIFD crew on the road once again.
“We’d just cleared the scene of the house fire when we received a call for a car fire. A man was working on his vehicle on Caron Street when it caught fire. We were able to put out that fire, with no injuries reported,” said Baldwin.
