OWLS HEAD — Oil barrels stored in garage on Route 73 in Owls Head (Weskeg Road) exploded in a fire late Sunday afternoon, sending smoke and flames high into the air, visible for miles around. Fire Chief Frank Ross said Sunday night that he is asking the Maine State Fire Marshal's office to help investigate the fire's cause.

"I've got a pretty good idea, but I'm not certain," he said.

Frankie's Garage went up in flames just after 3:30 p.m. Feb. 10. Melinda Polky, who lives across the street, was moving her car in order to plow snow from her driveway. As she was parking it at Frankie's parking lot, she noticed flames, approximately six inches in height, coming from the building.

"I got out, shut the door, and noticed there were flames coming from the oil furnace," she said. "I yelled over to my boyfriend [Thomas Cain II] to call 911."

Chief Ross said at approximately 8:30 p.m. Sunday night, just as he and his firefighters were returning to the fire station, that the fire had quickly evolved in the old wood-frame building. The call came in 3:39 p.m., and approximately 45 firefighters and eight trucks from four towns — Owls Head, Rockland, St. George and South Thomaston — scrambled to the scene. As oil barrels exploded, several nearby trees also caught fire. A house in back of the garage remained undamaged, as fire raged through the nearby building. Owls Head stationed a truck by that house, just in case.

Firefighters were also successful in pulling oxy-acetylene torches used for cutting and welding from the garage before they exploded.

"Cutting gases are one of our biggest concerns," said Ross.

Firefighters were pumping water into tankers at the hydrant a mile down the road at Midcoast School of Technology. They also drew water from a site on Buttermilk Lane, in Thomaston.

The garage is owned by Cecil Fogg of Owls Head. Frankie's Garage provides car and large truck repair. Fogg, who has owned the garage for approximately 15 years, had just restored a vintage 1966 Mustang that belonged to his daughter, said Polky.

The three-bay garage was also where Fogg stored his motorcycles, and was restoring a Chevy Impala, said Polky. Frankie's Garage had originally been built by Polky's grandfather, Frank Salo. When the family sold the garage, they kept the house across the street, where Polky's grandmother once lived.

As dusk settled, firefighters continued to extinguish the flames. By 6 p.m., there were seven fire trucks still at that scene, and an excavator was there knocking down what was left of the building. By 8 p.m., some Owls Head firefighters remained at the garage, extinguishing smaller burst of flames in another oil barrel. The barrels were used to store waste oil, which the garage then burned in the oil furnace to heat the building, Ross said.

The garage was insured, according to Polky.

This story will be updated as more details become available.

Editorial Director Lynda Clancy can be reached at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 706-6657.