ALFRED — Fire heavily damaged a 20-by-40-foot barn at 39 Blueberry Road Wednesday morning.

Firefighters say they believe the fire started around the flue for the large wood boiler operating inside the building. No one was injured.

The barn is situated some distance from the home on the property, which was not affected by the fire.

Alfred Assistant Fire Chief Mike Fraser said homeowner Seth McCoy was out in the barn shortly after 6 a.m. Wednesday, checking the wood boiler, and was preparing to clean out ashes when he noticed a small fire in the ceiling above the boiler. He attempted to put the fire out and called 911.

Fraser said Alfred fire trucks were on the scene quickly but firefighters could have used more personnel in the first few minutes. After the first 10 or 15 minutes, firefighters started coming in, and so did tankers to haul water to the scene.

Fraser said the biggest challenge for firefighters was the water tankers fighting commuter traffic on Route 111 as they ferried water to the scene. He said the traffic was unrelenting.

The nearest hydrant is about half a mile away on Route 111, in front of the George R. Roberts Company, which is west of Blueberry Hill Road. That meant the tankers traveled west to fill up, circled the Roberts Company’s parking lot and then had to turn east on Route 111 for a brief period before crossing over it to make a left turn onto Blueberry Hill Road.

Alfred Fire Department’s First Assistant Fire Chief, Matt Bors, requested help with traffic control from Maine State Police. Bors said he was told troopers were tied up on another call. MSP is the primary law enforcement agency for Alfred under a call-sharing arrangement with the York County Sheriff’s Office. Bors said he tried to call state police later Wednesday to discuss the matter and will try again today. He pointed out Maine State Police is a larger entity than the Alfred Fire Department, and has more resources.

“A fire that creates traffic issues on a state road should certainly warrant a response,” Bors said.

Troop A Commander Louis Nyitray was unavailable for comment late Wednesday afternoon and had a meeting scheduled for this morning. Maine Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland did not respond to an email seeking comment prior to press time.

As to the fire, the tankers offloaded their water into a makeshift tank on the side of Blueberry Hill Road and firefighters laid 600 feet of hose up the McCoy’s driveway to the barn.

Fraser said there were eight cords of firewood stored inside, some of which were burning.

Assisting the Alfred Fire Department were firefighters from Waterboro, Goodwin’s Mills, Sanford, Shapleigh, Lebanon and Ross Corner Fire Company. Kennebunk Fire Department provided station coverage.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].