HALLOWELL — An early morning fire in an apartment building today left 10 people displaced and one woman taken into protective custody by police. No one was injured in the fire.

Ken Grimes, an investigator with the State Fire Marshal’s Office, said the fire was reported at 4:42 a.m. and started in a rear 2nd floor unit occupied by Maureen Wall, 44.

Additional Photos

A state Fire Marshal's Office investigator shovels coals from a burned apartment Tuesday at 75 Second Street in Hallowell. An early-morning fire heavily damaged the multi-unit building. The cause of the fire, according to Hallowell Fire Chief Mike Grant, remains under investigation. Andy Molloy

Wall was arrested about 10:30 a.m. after experiencing what Grimes termed  “a medical episode.”

Wall, who was seated on the grass next to the driveway of 75 Second St., threw an empty plastic water bottle into the roadway and shouted incoherently at individuals. She briefly fought police when they tried to handcuff her and then walked between two officers to a police car.

Chief Mike Grant said the blaze, which he classified as undetermined six hours after it started, began in the kitchen of Wall’s apartment.

He said the heat and the damage made it difficult to determine the exact cause and that fire investigators will try to interview Wall.

More than six hours after the fire began, Hallowell firefighters remained at the scene, entering the the fire-scorched building for a few minutes at a time and then coming out to rehydrate.

“Because of the heat and humidity, it’s an extremely slow pocess,” Grimes said.

Officials said the fire damage was confined to three apartments in the rear of the building, and the units in the larger section of the building that faces the street were damaged by smoke and heat.

“There will be some work to do before it can be reinhabited,” Grimes said.

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