A structure fire in Wiscasset Tuesday night called out area fire departments and blocked Route 27 for several hours as firefighters battled to get the blaze under control. As late as 11 p.m., thick, gray smoke could be observed pouring from the building, located at 807 Gardiner Rd.
A neighbor, Jeff Howard, said he observed flames shooting higher than the peak of the roof shortly after he arrived home around 9 p.m. Howard said he called 911 to report the fire and was told several people had already called.
“It was going pretty good,” he said. “It was unreal. The smoke was just hanging down.”
Howard and a friend on scene agreed the Wiscasset Fire Department began arriving on the scene quickly, followed rapidly by other mutual aid units. Alna, Westport Island, Woolwich, Dresden, and Edgecomb fire departments were observed on the scene.
Howard said the building was divided into apartments but to his knowledge, no one lived at the location. Howard said he believed the owner was renovating the building.
“They just put a metal roof on it last summer,” he said.
