WALDOBORO — Waldoboro firefighters worked for more than an hour Monday afternoon to extinguish a fire discovered between floors where a heater was being used to thaw frozen pipes.

Waldoboro Fire Chief Paul Smeltzer, in a press release Monday night, said that the department responded in the snowstorm to the call at 143 Depot St. at 12:31 p.m.

Smeltzer said the caller requested the fire department to check the floor for heat, because they became concerned about the heater being used.

The building is owned by the Maine Department of Transportation, and is being rented by Maine Eastern Railroad. Smeltzer said DOT employees were on the premises, but nobody from the railroad company was present at the time of the initial incident.

When he arrived, Smeltzer said he discovered smoke throughout the building and saw flames in the bathroom. That prompted a call to those responding that they had an active structure fire.

Smeltzer said crews worked for more than an hour to put out the fire, and that damage was contained to the bathroom, where fire had extended under the floor and throughout the adjoining wall.

"Due to renovations, the fire was burning between multiple layers of sub-flooring," said Smeltzer in the release.

Warren Fire Department assisted Waldoboro Fire on scene, and Waldoboro had two engines and 15 firefighters respond to the call.

To reach Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards, email hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com