UPDATE (March 17, 2025): Due to the extent of the damage at the Springer Lane fire, the fire marshals office was unable to determine a cause of the fire, according to Owls Head Fire Chief Skip Hallett. 

UPDATE: Porch fire quickly turns to structure fire in Owls Head

OWLS HEAD (March 12, 2025, 1:50 p.m.) — The occupant of 28 Springer Lane and her two dogs are safe and uninjured following a structure fire Tuesday night, March 12, 2025. The trio are staying with relatives in the area.

Upon arrival, firefighters encountered heavy flames that had grown quickly from a porch fire prior to 10:50 p.m. Immediately, a second alarm was issued, which added Rockport FD and St. George to the list that went beyond the automatic mutual aid response from Warren, Thomaston, South Thomaston, Cushing, and Rockland. After a couple of hours, to see how the fire situation would settle, a request was issued for a Strike Team. A Strike Team allows individual firefighters to assist who are not associated with the initial requested agencies or apparatus. This response drew a firefighter from Appleton and another from St. George.

Crews worked through the night to smother the flames, trucking water from a brand new fire hydrant at the intersection of Spruce Head Road (Route 73) and Ilvonen Lane. An estimated 80,000 gallons of water came from that hydrant, which was only installed approximately three months ago with strong encouragement from the fire department.

By 4:30 a.m., all mutual aid had been released from the scene. Owls Head firefighters eventually made their way back to their station for gear cleaning and restock. However, their time was brief before being called back to the scene for a mattress that had rekindled within the rubble. For the daytime rekindle, appromately 12,000 more gallons of water, from that new hydrant, was used, according to OHFD Asst. Chief Jeff Benner.

At 12:30 p.m., one of two engines returned to the station. More personnel left in the next hour, leaving only a couple more to await the Fire Marshal’s Office investigator, who was coming from Augusta.

The fire remains under investigation until the investigator has a chance to view the scene.

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com

Porch fire quickly turns to structure fire in Owls Head

OWLS HEAD (March 12, 2025, 1:10 a.m.) — A porch fire quickly turned into a structure fire at 28 Springer Lane, in Owls Head, Tuesday, March 11, 2025. A 911 call by the homeowner at 10:50 p.m. spurred to action area firefighters from Owls Head, Rockland, Warren, St. George, South Thomaston, Thomaston, and Rockport. Yet even brief minutes following the call, the first on scene, a Knox County Sheriff's Deputy, was witnessing a full structure fire, not just the porch.

Along with a constant transport of water from a hydrant at the entrance to the rural subdivision at Spruce Head Road (Route 73) and Ilvonen Lane, fire apparatus could also be found parked along the route, which included Heritage Drive and Evolution Drive.  

Thomaston FD cleared its first truck from the scene just before 1 a.m., Wednesday, while Rockland FD gave permission for Camden FD to discontinue coverage of the Rockland fire station. Other fire crews stayed at the scene until 3 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. before returning to their stations to clean and restock their gear.