Video Shows Apparent Explosion As Damariscotta Boat Fire Injures One
State fire marshal's office says a grinding spark or lithium-ion battery may have caused the accidental July 31 blaze at Chasse Marine Company.
Investigators with the state fire marshal's office believe a fire that tore through a Damariscotta boat storage building on July 31 started from a spark, either from a grinder in use nearby or from lithium-ion batteries stored in the area. Fire crews were called to the Chasse Marine Company property at 460 Main St. a little after 10 in the morning, and traffic on Route 1 was detoured while crews battled heavy flames. Footage obtained by WMTW captured what looked like an explosion as firefighters worked the scene. One man suffered minor injuries and was released after treatment at Miles Memorial Hospital. Because a worker had been grinding in the area where the blaze began, investigators say they cannot exclude a grinding spark as the trigger, though bystanders' reports of lithium-ion batteries nearby point to a second possible source. The fire marshal's office classified the cause as accidental and noted the building carried insurance.
This story was first reported by Bangor Daily News.
