The fire that destroyed the state park service’s regional headquarters at Sebago Lake State Park on Wednesday appears to have been accidental, although the damage is so extensive it’s hard to know for sure.
Investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s Office were called in to determine the cause of the fire. The building is used by four or five employees during the winter months. The fire started in the center of the L-shaped building, fire officials said. It was spotted by someone who lives on the opposite side of the Crooked River which runs along the park.
Sgt. Joel Davis said the official cause of the fire is undetermined because of the damage but he said the fire’s origin “doesn’t look out of the ordinary.” He said the fire started in the area of some 20-year-old heat tape, used to prevent pipes from freezing, which had been plugged in recently. There also were some electrical components in the area where the fire started that could be to blame, he said.
Several fire departments responded to fight the blaze, and were able to put it out fairly quickly, officials said, but the damage was too extensive to save the structure. There were no injuries.
David Hench can be contacted at 791-6327 or at:
Twitter: @Mainehenchman
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