A plumber working in the basement of a Villa Road condominium accidentally sparked a minor fire on Monday.
Westbrook Fire Inspector Lt. Chuck Jarrett said the plumber was working in the basement soldering pipes when he accidentally ignited a pile of combustible material that was being stored nearby. Jarrett said the material was paper, most likely the backing from some insulation being stored in the basement.
The fire was quickly extinguished, and Jarrett estimates the damage to the house at $1,000 or less. Nobody was injured in the incident.
Jarrett said this incident should serve as a lesson to homeowners to be careful when storing flammable materials. “This type of accident is preventable,” said Jarrett. “People should be careful to keep combustible materials away from open flames, especially when doing that kind of plumbing work.”
The Scarborough and Portland fire departments assisted Westbrook firefighters at the scene.
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