WARREN – (Oct. 23, 2018) The cause of a structure fire in a former chicken barn that was also once used by Crowe Rope will remain undetermined, according to Sgt. Joel Davis, of the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

The building was constructed in 1965, and has been owned by Kenneth Gray since 1981.

Multiple vehicles, as many as 50 to100, were inside the structure at the time of the fire.

The fire at 45 High Street was reported to Knox County Communications Center just after midnight, Wednesday, Sept. 12. Though the FMO investigator arrived on scene at 8:30 a.m., interviews and observations took several days. On September 20, the investigation was still in process, according to Davis, at that time.

WARREN – A building in Warren once housing a Crowe Rope facility, and then a chicken barn, is now a smoldering mess of hot rubble, Wednesday, Sept. 12.

An official from the State Fire Marshal’s Office will be investigating the fire at 45 High Street that erupted in flames following an explosion just after midnight.

“I don’t think there’s much that they’re going to be able to tell us,” said Warren Fire Chief Greg Andrews.

At the time of the fire, the outside property was being used as an un-permitted junk yard that the Town had been asked by residents to clean up, according to Andrews.

Cars were also being stored inside the three-story wooden structure, and, according to Andrews, a marijuana grow operation existed on the third floor.

As far as Andrews knew, during the fire, any people or animals that may have been in the structure were able to evacuate safely, and no injuries occurred. Some neighbors mentioned that the owner, who was believed by some to have been sleeping in a camper at the time, owned dogs.

Crews from Waldoboro, Washington, Appleton, Union, and South Thomaston helped to contain the flames, and to hose down three nearby houses as a precaution.

At the same time, two pump trucks made continuous trips to the fire station to fill the tanks with water.

This article will be updated as more information becomes available.