Bangor Fire Grateful To Neighboring Depts For Help W/2 Weekend Fires

"We're very thankful for the mutual aid from our neighboring fire departments, that's for sure. All the crews from the Bangor crews to the mutual aid crews...I mean they all did an absolutely outstanding job. I can't say enough thanks to the crews. I really can't."

Bangor's Assistant Fire Chief, Chandler Corriveau, says help from neighboring fire departments responding to two major fires over the weekend, made all the difference in the world.

It was just before 2PM Saturday, when Firefighters from Bangor's Central Station, Station 5 and Station 6 were sent out to a multi-unit apartment building that had caught fire at 625 Finson Rd. When they arrived, the first 2 of 6 units were involved in the fire. Due to the high winds that day, they knew they'd have to move fast to keep the blaze from spreading to the other units, so mutual aid from neighboring towns was called in to cover Bangor's Fire Stations, as the Finson Rd. fire had become an "all hands on deck" situation.

"When that was old base housing, the construction is very well built. That was a factor that worked in our favor. There 6 units total in the building. However, there's 2 units and then there's a firewall all the way to the roof. So even though it was really windy, the type of construction really aided in preventing fire spread to additional units."

Thankfully, no one was hurt in that fire, although the two units were a total loss. We're told Bangor Housing, who owned the building, is working with the tenants whom have been displaced by the fire. The Finson Road fire has been ruled accidental.

"We've been responding to those buildings for years, whether it be for fire calls or emergency medical calls, and crews really know the layouts to those buildings vs. going say to a single family home where we might not know where the basement is or where the stairs are, that kind of thing. We know the layout of those buildings so that really helps us. It's like we're ahead of the game."

Corriveau said that just as the firefighters had started to clean up from the Finson Rd. scene, having gotten that fire under control in about 45 minutes, another fire call came in from a 2 Unit home at 12 Carrol St. in Bangor, at just before 4PM. The mutual aid departments of Hermon Fire, Veazie Fire and Glenburn Fire, who had been covering for all 3 Bangor Stations, were first on the scene to Carrol St.

Get our free mobile app

"The fire was mostly on the 2nd floor. And they were able to get that under control in about half an hour, as well. It just took a lot of overhaul and lot of digging. And of course the mutual aid companies that responded to that had responded to Finson Rd. so everybody was already quite tired from dealing with the first fire. But everybody really did an outstanding job and worked really, really, really hard to get it under control and limit damage the best they could."

One of the tenants on Carrol St. was home at the time of the fire, but no one was injured at that fire, as well. And there was a flare up overnight that brought some crews back in the wee hours of the morning. But they were able to get it under control quickly.

The cause of that fire is still under investigation. We're told the Red Cross is dealing with the displaced tenants in that situation, as well.

Overall, Corriveau wants to thank all 3 of the Bangor Fire Stations, Engine 11 from the Air National Guard Base, Brewer Fire, Hermon Fire, Orono Fire, Glenburn Fire, Holden Fire and Veazie Fire for helping with both fires this weekend.

"I can't even tell you how many hundreds of feet of hose that we spent today cleaning, washing our tools and equipment, washing our gear. So today has been that day for us."