SCARBOROUGH — Fire officials said Wednesday that it appears Tuesday’s fire at a motel on Route 1 was accidental, possibly caused by unattended candles.
The fire at the Itsa Good Motel displaced 12 people, including a family of four who lived in the unit where the fire started. The damage to the unit was severe and led to a shutdown of power to the building.
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That unit was destroyed and its residents, who were not at home, lost everything, said Ellen Ellsworth, the motel’s owner. Ellsworth said she has no insurance.
Capt. James Butler, who leads inspections for the Scarborough Fire Department, said the department had been scheduled to do its annual inspection of the motel next week. He said the most recent inspection, in November, did not identify any serious fire code violations.
Jamie Jutras, who helps to manage the building with Ellsworth, his mother, said a candle was left burning on a dresser and the flame ignited clothing.
David Hench can be contacted at 791-6327 or at:
dhench@pressherald.comTwitter: @Mainehenchman
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