Firefighters from Bangor and surrounding towns battled a house fire Friday night at 133 Kenduskeag Ave. No one was injured.
Bangor Assistant Fire Chief Chad Bean said the fire started while the homeowner was thawing frozen pipes in the basement.
Fire crews had just returned from another call when they were dispatched around 7:30 p.m.
“Most of the guys were still in their gear, so we were able to get there very quickly,” Bean said. Crews arrived in just over three minutes to find smoke showing and the homeowner waiting in the driveway.
Fire had spread to both the first and second floors. It was knocked down within 25 minutes and under control by the 40-minute mark. Crews cleared the scene at around 10:15 p.m., though a truck remained for several hours to ensure the fire didn’t rekindle.
Temperatures around 3 degrees posed the biggest challenge, Bean said, as firefighters worked to stay warm and keep equipment functioning.
The house is not currently livable due to fire and smoke damage. Bean stressed the importance of working smoke detectors — which were functioning in this home — and calling 911 at the first sign of trouble.
