Four Families Displaced By Waterville Fire, Home Lacked Smoke Detectors

A Waterville home that was damaged by fire Thursday morning had no working smoke detectors, officials said.

Four families made up of six adults and two children were displaced by the fire at 25 Spruce Street, which was reported around 6:30 a.m.

Waterville fire Captain Rodney Alderman told the Kennebec Journal the home had no working smoke detectors.

State law requires apartments to have smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, but the law is different for two-unit buildings. Alderman said the owner of a two-unit building must initially install smoke detectors, but the tenants are responsible for reporting any issues with the devices.

The residents of the building were inside at the time of the fire, but everyone made it out, and no injuries were reported.

Fire fighters said the second floor of the home was destroyed, but the rest of the building sustained water and smoke damage and is repairable.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.