BELFAST – Earlier today, March 30, the Belfast City Manager’s Office circulated a press release identifying the cause of the fire that destroyed a potato processing plant on the Belfast waterfront. At 3 p.m., the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office corrected the city press release with the following:

The Maine State Fire Marshalls Office has completed their investigation of the recent fire that destroyed the Penobscot-McCrum facility on the Belfast waterfront. The fire has been ruled accidental.

Due to the extensive damage from the fire, the cause of the fire is undetermined.

The Fire Marshall’s Office is unable to determine if the cause of the fire was due to spontaneous combustion of leftover food, or caused by a mechanical issue. The fire started in the area of one of the fryolators, which was located next to a conveyor belt. The fire then spread directly into the exhaust venting system that exits through the roof and extended into the void space between the ceiling and the roof. This area was located above the fire suppression system, allowing the fire to extending into the rest of the building rapidly. 

This building had many void spaces above the suppression system allowing the fire to spread rapidly under the metal roof. It was a mix construction-built facility, meaning it consisted of masonry, steel and wood frame construction.

“Given the size of this property, the rapid spread of the fire and imminent threat of hazardous materials, we are so fortunate that all the employees were accounted for early and safe,” Said Belfast Fire Chief Patrick Richards. “Control and extinguishment of this fire was certainly a team effort and I am grateful for all the Mutual Aid and support that the Belfast Fire Department received throughout this incident. There were more than 60 first responders on scene that went home without any reported injuries."

The Fire Marshall’s Office is unable to determine if the cause of the fire was due to spontaneous combustion of leftover food, or caused by a mechanical issue. The fire started in the area of one of the fryolators, which was located next to a conveyor belt. The fire then spread directly into the exhaust venting system that exits through the roof and extended into the void space between the ceiling and the roof. This area was located above the fire suppression system, allowing the fire to extending into the rest of the building rapidly. 

The earlier press release had said:

The Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office completed their investigation of the recent fire that destroyed the Penobscot-McCrum facility on the Belfast waterfront. The fire has been ruled accidental, according to a March 30 release from the Belfast City Manager’s Office.

The cause was determined to be spontaneous combustion of leftover food product at the end of the conveyor that runs through the fryer.

The fire then spread directly into the exhaust venting system that exits through the roof and extended into the void space between the ceiling and the roof. This area was located above the fire suppression system, allowing the fire to extending into the rest of the building rapidly. 

This building had many void spaces above the suppression system allowing the fire to spread rapidly under the metal roof. It was a mix construction-built facility, meaning it consisted of masonry, steel and wood frame construction.

“Given the size of this property, the rapid spread of the fire and imminent threat of hazardous materials, we are so fortunate that all the employees were accounted for early and safe,” Said Belfast Fire Chief Patrick Richards, in a release. “Control and extinguishment of this fire was certainly a team effort and I am grateful for all the Mutual Aid and support that the Belfast Fire Department received throughout this incident. There were more than 60 first responders on scene that went home without any reported injuries."