Fire damages Boralex facility
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
FORT FAIRFIELD — A fire at the Boralex energy production plant on Cheney Grove Road March 6 was most likely mechanical in nature, caused by a malfunctioning fan.
Firefighters from the Aroostook Fire Protection District, which includes Limestone, Fort Fairfield and Loring, were assisted at the scene by crews from Caribou and Presque Isle. About 40 firefighters in all spent the better part of three hours at the energy plant.
No injuries were reported as crews worked together to knock down the fire on floors five through eight.
Reports indicate employees working at the facility spotted smoke and flames and quickly contacted the fire department. Firefighters arrived to find sawdust on the third and fourth floors on fire and noted that flames had spread to nearby electrical equipment.
Fire officials believe a fan in the building malfunctioned, a fire started, with the fan helping spread flames to adjacent areas of the plant. Damage to the facility and equipment was estimated at about $20,000.
Work has resumed at the plant, with the company being 100 operational as of this week.
