THOMASTON – A large oil leak that spread into a room with mechanical equipment erupted into flames at Dragon Cement, in Thomaston, Tuesday, March 26, resulting in structural damage to the facility’s Core Building.

Approximately 75 firefighters, representing eleven departments, assisted with extinguishing the fire, which was reported to Knox County Communications Center at 7:28 p.m., by an employee.

Dragon employees evacuated the building, but stayed on the grounds, providing on-going information to responders.

Upon arrival, members of the Thomaston and Rockland crews encountered heavy fire on three floors of the building at the end of the kiln on the Rockland side of the building (the tower is on the west side of the facility).

According to Thomaston Fire Chief Mikial Mazzeo, crews learned from an employee that a large leak/spill of #2 fuel oil had been seen on the floor. That oil flowed into a below grade mechanical area.

When it reached the mechanical area, the fuel ignited, spreading back to it’s origin and ultimately throughout the building.

The fire was stopped just as it was entering a lab and control room areas.

Twenty pieces of fire apparatus, along with Thomaston Ambulance, Central Maine Power, Dragon Products staff, Knox County Emergency Management and a foam trailer from Waldo County’ EMA, were assigned to the incident. The foam trailer, a large tanker filled with firefighting foam, was cancelled while en route.

“The fire crews did an excellent job to confine the fire to the building of origin, which seemed to be a monumental task upon arrival of the first units,” said Mazzeo, in his report. “Knox County Communications coordinated the response flawlessly as they continued to handle other emergencies in the county simultaneously including a chimney fire in Camden.”

As policy dictates, Chief Mazzeo notified the State Fire Marshal’s Office. However, no investigation ensued, since the cause of fire has been determined accidental and due to mechanical failure.

The Department of Environmental Protection was also notified, due to the oil leak.

No one was injured during, or as a result of, the fire.

The fire was extinguished at 9:43 p.m., and all units had cleared the scene by 10:45 p.m.

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com

THOMASTON — A three-alarm fire sent firefighters from Thomaston, Rockport, Cushing, Friendship, Union, Owls Head, South Thomaston, Rockland, Warren, Waldoboro and St. George, to Dragon Cement in Thomaston to fight a structure fire Tuesday night, March 26.

Power was cut off to the cement-making plant on Route 1 in Thomaston as firefighters battled a roaring blaze inside a structure. 

“First due crews found heavy smoke and fire from multiple floors,” reported Rockland Fire Chief Chris Whytock. “ We operated under the command of Thomaston Car 1 and were joined with multiple other departments throughout Knox and Waldo County.”

The fire was reported at 7:30 p.m. by employees, who evacuated the facility.

Thomaston Police Department is also on scene, as well as Thomaston EMS and Rockland EMS.

Mutual aid departments began clearing the scene after 9:45 p.m.

All remaining units cleared the scene at 10:50 p.m.

Dragon Products produces Portland and masonry cements. 

This story will be updated when more details become available.