The Bangor Fire Department is proud to announce the following promotions:

• Captain Matt Costello to Assistant Chief
• Captain Dennis Nadeau to Assistant Chief
• Lieutenant Chuck Rodway to Captain
• Lieutenant Brian Higg to Captain
• Firefighter Andy Emery to Lieutenant
• Firefighter Phil Hamm to Lieutenant
• Firefighter Eric Pelletier to Lieutenant
• Firefighter Joe Wellman to Lieutenant
• Firefighter Scott Bolduc to Lieutenant

Driver rescued with jaws of life, charged with OUI after flipping car near Bangor Mall

By Mario Moretto, BDN Staff

BANGOR, Maine — A Bangor man was charged with operating under the influence after he was rescued from his overturned car early Thanksgiving morning.

Paul Aucoin, 32, was driving on Bangor Mall Boulevard after leaving a nearby restaurant around 12:45 a.m. Thursday, as heavy, wet snow fell during the year’s second major storm event, according the Bangor Police Department officials.

Complete information about the accident was unavailable Thursday afternoon, but Sgt. Larry Webber said Aucoin took a bad turn and struck a coping stone, which caused his 2013 Subaru to turn onto its side.

The vehicle was so badly damaged that rescuers from Bangor Fire Department needed to use the jaws of life to pry the car open and extricate Aucoin. The driver was sent to a local hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, Webber said.

Webber said police suspected drugs, alcohol or both contributed to the accident.

The incident was the only serious motor vehicle accident to occur in Bangor during the overnight storm, Webber said.

Woman injured in rollover accident on I-395 exit in Bangor

By Ryan McLaughlin, BDN Staff

BANGOR, Maine — A woman was injured Friday afternoon when she lost control of her van on an Interstate 395 ramp, according to police.

The woman, whose name was not immediately available, was believed to be in her mid-60s, State Police Trooper Forrest Simpson said at the scene.

The crash occurred around 2 p.m.

Simpson said the woman was exiting the eastbound lanes of I-395 at the Farm Road ramp when she failed to negotiate a corner, lost control and hit a tree.

The van rolled over onto the passenger side.

Simpson said the vehicle’s air bags deployed and the woman was wearing her safety belt, which likely prevented serious injury.

The trooper said the woman’s injuries don’t appear to be life-threatening, and she was taken from the scene by ambulance to an area hospital, though Simpson was not sure where the driver was being transported.

In addition to state police, Bangor fire and rescue responded to the accident. The Exit 3A ramp was closed for a short period of time while crews cleaned the scene up but has since reopened.

By Ryan McLaughlin, BDN Staff

BANGOR, Maine — A pickup truck was destroyed by fire in a fast-food restaurant parking lot Friday, officials said.

The driver, who Bangor Assistant Fire Chief Rick Cheverie did not identify, was heading through the drive-thru window at Wendy’s on Union Street when she saw smoke coming out from under her dashboard.

The driver wisely pulled the truck into a parking space and called 911, Cheverie said.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene shortly before 11:30 a.m., and arrived to find the truck engulfed in flames.

Cheverie said the blaze was contained in about five minutes. He said a mechanical failure is likely to blame for the fire.

No other vehicles were ever in any danger and the driver was not injured, Cheverie said. The truck was totaled.

Burst pipe shuts down Central Street business in Bangor

Nineteen firefighters died on the Yarnell Hill Fire in central Arizona on June 30, 2013. They were members of the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC), hosted by the Prescott Fire Department. The State of Arizona convened a Serious Accident Investigation Team. A delegation of authority letter, signed by the State Forester on July 3, 2013, charged the Team with reviewing and reporting on the circumstances leading to entrapment of the Granite Mountain IHC.

Here is their report:

Yarnell Hill Fire; Serious Accident Investigation Report; 9/23/2013

Train, dump truck collide at Hampden RR crossing

Members of B Crew responded with Engine 1, Heavy Rescue 1, Rescue 1 and Fire Comm 1 to Rt 9 in Hampden for mutual aid. The call was for a train vs dump truck mva.

The patient was extricated and transported to the hospital by Lifeflight. Condition of the driver is unknown

Several homeless, one hospitalized after Hammond Street apartment building fire

Photos courtesy Cindy Michaels

BANGOR, Maine — Firefighters responded to an early-morning fire on Hammond Street on Monday.

The building at 378-380 Hammond Street has 10 units, Assistant Chief Anthony Riitano said, and seven were occupied. Everyone in the duplex-style building was displaced, he said.

Capt. John Prentiss of the fire department said the Red Cross is providing the occupants with temporary living accommodations.

One man was still in his apartment when firefighters arrived, Riitano said. While the man was able to walk out, he was sent to a hospital as a precaution for smoke inhalation.

Riitano said the state fire marshal’s office determined the fire started due to a refrigerator malfunction.

Riitano said there was “extensive damage” in the apartment where the fire started, as well as fire and smoke damage to other units. He said the building will be empty until a code enforcement officer deems it habitable.

Prentiss said Brewer firefighters were initially called to the scene per the cities’ mutual aid agreement, but were then called to provide station coverage.

Prentiss said the Bangor Fire Department received the fire call at 3:41 a.m. By 7:30, the fire was extinguished and building turned over to its owner.

The building is near where Hammond St. intersects with Seventh Street.

Bangor house under renovation damaged by fire

October is Fire Prention time. Below are some photos from visits with the kids.

Bicyclist sent to the hospital after accident with car in Bangor

 BANGOR, Maine — Bangor firefighters and police officers coxed a dog to shore after he had fallen into the Kenduskeag Stream on Tuesday afternoon.

According to Bangor Fire Dept. Lt. Joseph Doucet, Toro, who wore a Texas dog tag, fell into Kenduskeag Stream near Bagel Central around 2:30 pm while being pursued by his owner.

The current then took Toro downstream near the Kenduskeag Stream pump station off Washington Street where he swam to shore.

Lt. Doucet said the dog was a bit shaken.

After the dog was wrapped in a blanket to warm up, he was helped into Bangor Police patrol officer Jamie Fanning’s cruiser.

While driving the dog to the Bangor Humane Society, Officer Fanning encountered an unidentified motorist who took Toro into their car behind the Pickering Square Parking Garage and then drove off.

Smoke reported on U.S. Airways flight that had to land at BIA

BANGOR, Maine — A U.S. Airways flight headed from Bangor International Airport to Philadephia on Friday morning had to head back to BIA shortly after takeoff because of smoke detected in the airplane, according to airport officials.

Assistant Airport Director Tony Caruso said Flight 3101, which carried 77 passengers and four crew members, was forced back to the runway after “there was an indication of smoke in the rear lavatory.”

Bangor firefighters met the aircraft as it landed at 7:32 a.m., and after everything proved to be in order, the plane departed for Philadelphia at 8:48 a.m., according to Caruso.

No passengers or crew members were injured.

Fire Nearly Destroys Home

Truck Roll over in Brewer

Heavy Rescue 1 responded mutual aid to Brewer for a serious accident that involved a pick-up truck roll over.

Members were called for additional extrication tools as well as stabilization equipment.

The accident occured on the I-395 East Bound off-ramp. The ramp is emaining closed. On-site construction crews assisted the members using heavy equipment. 2 victims were transported to local hospitals. We will post updates as we get them.

Bangor boy struck by car, suffers broken leg

BANGOR, Maine — A 7-year-old boy suffered a broken leg Wednesday when he was struck by a car while riding his bicycle on Buck Street.

The boy, whose name was not released because of his age, was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center for treatment of his injuries, Bangor police Lt. Jeff Millard said, citing an accident report.

According to Millard, the accident happened about 2:30 p.m. when the boy rode his bicycle across the street to get to an ice cream truck that was parked on the opposite side.

As he was doing so, he rode into the path of a Buick sedan driven by Rachel Clark, 17, of Bangor, Millard said. Skid marks at the accident scene indicated that Clark attempted to stop but was unable to avoid a collision, he said.

No charges are pending in connection with the accident, Millard said.

State police respond quickly to car crash after driver has seizure

Woman’s body found in Kenduskeag Stream

Man dead in fire at Winterport church

 WINTERPORT, Maine — Firefighters responding to reports of smoke coming from the Calvary Apostolic Church on Thursday morning made a grim discovery — the charred body of an adult male just outside the building.

BIA plans mock mass disaster Saturday

Motorcyclist injured in collision with truck on Broadway

BANGOR, Maine — A Bangor man was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center on Friday after the motorcycle he was driving collided with another vehicle on Broadway, according to police.

Fire at Bangor Apartment Building

 Fire does heavy damage at senior housing project in Bangor

By Nok-Noi Ricker
BDN Staff

BANGOR, Maine — The State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Bangor Police Department’s criminal investigation division and the Bangor Fire Department are investigating a fire at a senior housing construction site on Harlow Street that caused significant damage, officials say.

Damage is estimated at several hundreds of thousands of dollars, “mostly due to smoke and heat damage,” Assistant Bangor Fire Chief Rick Cheverie said Thursday morning.

The fire was reported at around 6 a.m. Thursday and occurred in the rear of the second floor of the three-story building, he said. The new housing development is located at 315 Harlow St., next to Northern Kingdom Music.

Newport-based Bowman Constructors is the general contractor of the 55-unit senior housing apartment complex, which is an $11 million project “being paid for with federal funding, including federal stimulus money,” the company’s website states.

The low-income housing will be for those age 62 or older who have incomes of less than $25,920. The facility will be operated by Volunteers of America Northern New England, which is based in Brunswick.

Glenn Michaels, spokesman for Volunteers of America, said the original plan was to take ownership from Bowman and open the facility sometime in January. Whether the opening will be delayed is not known,he said.

Assistant State Fire Marshal Joe Thomas said late Thursday morning that two fire investigators from the fire marshal’s office are investigating the blaze.

“We’re still at the scene and we probably will be for the rest of the day,” he said, describing the damage as “significant.”

Smoldering cigarette causes fire in Bangor

By Nok-Noi Ricker BDN Staff

BANGOR, Maine — Someone who lives at 66 Sidney St. apparently flicked a still burning cigarette onto a window support Wednesday morning and it caught the house on fire, Assistant Fire Chief Darrell Cyr said.

“Apparently it landed on a lintel over a window,” he said of the cigarette. “It smoldered there for quite some time and eventually made it into the walls.”

The official cause is “improper disposal of smoking materials,” Cyr said.

Three people live in the home, and one called for help at 6:44 a.m.

“They smelled smoke and they started looking on the inside for the smoke, and they went outside and saw the fire on the outside,” Cyr said.

Fire was visible when firefighters arrived, and “the homeowner’s son had a garden hose that pretty much kept the fire on the outside at bay,” he said.

Once firefighters got inside, “there was no visible fire,” Cyr said. “But once they opened up the ceiling and the walls, they found a good amount of fire.”

Firefighters extinguished the fire in the walls and ceiling of the first floor and in the walls of the second floor. Flames did not reach the third-floor attic, Cyr said.

“There was a lot of digging to make sure the fire had not extended beyond the floor and in the walls,” he said. “We dig until we can’t find any more.”

There was no damage estimate for the fire, Cyr said.

Bangor Fire Department brought three fire engines, three rescue vehicles and the ladder truck to the blaze. Crews left at around 10:15 a.m. and no injuries were reported among fire personnel or the residents, Cyr said.

 

Finson Road fire destroys trailer

By Nok-Noi Ricker
BDN Staff

BANGOR, Maine — A fire raged Tuesday afternoon through a home in the Cedar Falls trailer park on Finson Road, leaving the metal walls standing but destroying everything inside, Assistant Fire Chief Darrell Cyr said.

Engine 6 arrived at the mobile home, located five units down from the trailer park’s entrance, just after 1 p.m. and the fire was burning strongly, he said.

“They did report fire showing through the roof,” Cyr said. “They did good to knock down the fire” within a few minutes.

No one was home when the fire broke out and no injuries were reported in extinguishing it, he said.

Yellow fire hose was run from the corner of Blue Hill East and Finson Road, across Finson and into the trailer park, temporarily closing Finson Road.

The roadway was reopened at around 2 p.m.

 

Fire at Bangor home ruled an arson

By Dawn Gagnon
BDN Staff

BANGOR, Maine — A joint investigation into the fire that destroyed a mobile home in the Cedar Falls Trailer Park has determined that the fire’s cause was arson, Sgt. Tim York of the State Fire Marshal’s Office said Wednesday .

Though he declined to discuss specifics about the investigation, he did say that the incident remains under investigation by state officials and personnel from the Bangor Fire Department and the Bangor Police Department.

Tuesday’s fire, which began about 1 p.m., demolished the mobile home’s entire interior, leaving only the metal walls standing.

A resident of the Cedar Falls park, located off Finson Road, said Tuesday that he believed the occupants of the destroyed mobile home were in the process of moving out. He said he noticed a truck being used to move items over the last two or three days.

No one was home when the fire broke out and no injuries were reported in extinguishing it, Bangor Assistant Fire Chief Darrell Cyr said Tuesday.

Because fire crews had to run 900 feet of hose to the fire scene from the nearest hydrant, Finson Road had to be closed for about an hour, Cyr said.

 

Man hurt in fall off Lover's Leap in Bangor

By Dawn Gagnon
BDN Staff 

BANGOR - A man walking along a path at Lover's Leap became the focus of a rescue operation by city firefighters Tuesday evening after he fell an estimated 20 feet and injured himself.

The man, who was described as being in his mid- to late 20s but whose name, age and hometown weren't immediately available, was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center for treatment of head injuries and cuts to his arms and legs, Assistant Fire Chief Rick Cheverie said. No further information about his medical condition was available Tuesday night.

Cheverie said that firefighters were called to Lover's Leap, an area off Valley Avenue that has a steep cliff overlooking the Kenduskeag Stream, about 6:30 p.m.

"It appears that he lost his footing," Cheverie said. He said rescuers found the injured man after they were flagged down from across the stream by his girlfriend.

"We couldn't have seen him from the opposite bank, which is where we came in," he said.

Though the rescue operation did not require climbing, it did require that firefighters cross the stream to get to the man, put him onto a litter and stabilize him before carrying him back across the stream to a waiting ambulance, Cheverie said.

Water levels at this time of year are relatively low, ranging from ankle-deep to roughly knee-keep, or "just deep enough to get over the firefighters' boots, he said.

According to the Maine Memory Network, a website of the Maine Historical Society, Bangor's Lover's Leap "commemorates a young Native American couple who supposedly jumped to their deaths in the stream after being refused permission to wed."

Fire displaces tenants of Essex Street apartment building

 

By Dawn Gagnon
BDN Staff

BANGOR, Maine — Investigators were working Friday night to determine the cause of a fire that displaced the tenants of a seven-unit apartment building at 149-151 Essex St.

Assistant Chief Darrell Cyr of the Bangor Fire Department said the fire began at about 4 p.m. in a bedroom on the second floor of the building and had started to work its way up the exterior to the third floor when firefighters entered the building and knocked it down.

“The guys did an awesome job,” Cyr said, adding that no tenants or firefighters were injured.

Cyr said that fire damage was limited to the apartment in which the fire began and that there was water damage in the apartment directly under it.

The 2½-story building, owned by Paul Newman, was evacuated and residents were not allowed to stay in their apartments Friday night.

Though he did not know the total number of tenants displaced, Cyr said that all but six or seven tenants were staying with friends and family. The Pine Tree Chapter of the American Red Cross has been asked to make housing arrangements for those without a place to stay.

Cyr said that investigators from the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Bangor Police Department were called in to help pinpoint the fire’s cause but he stopped short of calling the fire suspicious.

“We’re just crossing our t’s and dotting our i’s,” he said.

Cyr said that 19 Bangor firefighters from all three stations turned out and that Brewer and Hampden firefighters provided station coverage until the fire was extinguished.

A dollar estimate for damage resulting from the fire was not immediately available Friday. Cyr said he believed the building was insured.

Bangor firefighters rescue bridge jumper

By Dawn Gagnon
BDN Staff

BANGOR, Maine — Bangor firefighters rescued a man late Friday night who jumped from the Penobscot Bridge into the Penobscot River.

The man, whose name and age were not available, was taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center, Assistant Chief Rick Cheverie of the Bangor Fire Department said.

He had been in the water for nearly 20 minutes before city firefighters found him using high-powered lights, binoculars and a thermal imaging camera.

Firefighters used a rescue boat they keep docked at Bangor Waterfront to pick him up. The man was conscious when he was found, Cheverie said.

“It’s always good when we have a success like this,” he said.

According to Cheverie, firefighters and police were called to the waterfront at 10:33 p.m. — 10 minutes after low tide — after a person who was on the bridge reported that a man had stripped off his outer clothes and jumped into the river.

Bangor police Sgt. Bob Bishop said it was not yet clear why the man jumped. Bishop estimated the distance from the bridge to the surface of the river at about 35 feet.

“He’s lucky to be alive,” Bishop said.

 

Woman Struck at Bangor Crosswalk

 

From Bangor Daily News

By BDN Staff

 

Electrical fire burns Poplar Street home

 

From Bangor Daily News

May 11, 2010

The last 3 days have kept Station #5 busy with Mutual Aid calls for working fires. On Friday night, D-Crew on the Engine went to Old Town for a working fire on Indian Island. Saturday evening, A-Crew went to Veazie, on the Chase Road. This morning A/B Crew went again to Old Town and the Stillwater Lumber Fire. More information as we get it.

Fire damages exterior of Fern Street home

By Dawn Gagnon
BDN Staff

BANGOR, Maine — A fire that began in a trash container behind a Fern Street home was extinguished before it caused major damage, an official with the Bangor Fire Department said Wednesday.

Assistant Chief Darrell Cyr said the fire was at the Bruce Grant residence.

Cyr said that after the fire started, it traveled up one side of the building, burning some of the siding, part of a railing and a portion of the floor of a porch.

Firefighters put the fire out within minutes of their arrival, preventing its spread to the inside of the building, he said.

No one was injured in connection with the fire, Cyr said. He said that a dollar estimate for the damage was not available Wednesday evening. It also was not clear if the building was insured.

First Due Engine 5 made a quick knockdown, preventing serious damage to the property

 

Bangor home damaged by fire

By Dawn Gagnon
BDN Staff

BANGOR, Maine — A fire of unknown cause Thursday afternoon resulted in significant fire and smoke damage to a single-family home at 92 Second St.

The owners, Bruce and Christina Babin, were not at home when the fire began about 2 p.m., according to Assistant Fire Chief Darrell Cyr of the Bangor Fire Department.

The family’s small dog Seamus, however, was home, Cyr said.

Shortly after knocking down the fire, firefighters found Seamus inside.

“He was in a crate on the second floor,” he said.

The dog appeared to be in good condition when firefighters brought him outside to Bruce Babin, who came home after learning about the fire.

Cyr said Thursday that firefighters had not yet determined what caused the fire but that it appears to have started in an extension at the back of the two-story house, which abuts Second Street Park.

The extension had significant fire damage and the rest of the house had heavy smoke damage, Cyr said.

A dollar estimate for the damage was not immediately available Thursday. Cyr said he did not yet know whether the house was insured.

Fire on Walter Street Forced Residents to Evacuate

by WABI-TV5 News Desk

A fire in downtown Bangor Monday morning forced some residents to flee their apartment building.
Fire crews were called to Walter Street just before 5 am.
By the time they arrived, everyone had gotten out of the two-story complex safely.
We're told there were five apartment units in the building, the fire reportedly started upstairs.
It was out in about an hour, and contained to just one room.
The fire marshal's office has been called in to investigate.

 

Fire destroys Glenburn home

By Dawn Gagnon
BDN Staff 

GLENBURN, Maine — A small one-story home was destroyed Thursday in a fire of unknown origin.

The house at 317 Hudson Road was in flames by the time firefighters arrived about 3:30 p.m., Glenburn Fire Capt. Gene Hamm said at the scene. He said the State Fire Marshal’s Office would be asked to help determine the cause.

According to Hamm, no one was home when the fire was reported by a passer-by about 3:30 p.m.

Hamm said he didn’t know the owner’s name or whether the house was insured. He said the Pine Tree Chapter of the American Red Cross had been called to provide assistance.

Glenburn firefighters were joined at the scene by their counterparts from Bangor, Corinth and Hudson, while crews from Charleston remained on standby, Hamm said. No one was injured while fighting the fire, he said.

Though Hamm said Thursday’s cold conditions had not posed any significant challenges for fire crews, the frigid air did cause water used to extinguish the blaze to freeze on a section of Hudson Road close to the fire, as well as on the long dirt driveway leading to the burning house. The ice made walking treacherous.

Bangor Auditorium fire sends worker to hospital

By Dawn Gagnon
BDN Staff

BANGOR, Maine — A small fire Wednesday night in the boiler room at the Bangor Auditorium sent one Bass Park employee to a local hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation symptoms, a Fire Department official said.

Assistant Fire Chief Rick Cheverie said he was unable to disclose the employee’s name, citing federal confidentiality rules. Cheverie said late Wednesday that he had not yet been able to confirm where the worker was taken, but believed it was St. Joseph Hospital.

Cheverie said the fire was reported at 9:23 p.m. and that crews from the department’s Central Station and Station 5 both went to the scene. He said that when firefighters arrived, they found light smoke in the building, which grew thicker as they neared the boiler room, where they found a cardboard box and a 5-gallon plastic bucket containing tools and parts on fire.

The fire’s cause, he said, is under investigation.

“The boiler was not affected,” Cheverie said, adding that some electrical components near the box and bucket were burned. He estimated damage at about $500.

Cheverie said the fire was extinguished within minutes, but firefighters remained at the auditorium for about an hour to ventilate smoke from the building’s main lobby and nearby hallways.

dgagnon@bangordailynews.net

Plumbing Van Destroyed by Fire

On December 14th, D Crew responded to Broadway (Near Husson Ave) for a plumbers van that was heavily involved in fire. Assigned were E-6, E-1, L-1 and R-1. T-6 was special called, so they didn't have to close down Broadway during rush hour. Full Box coverage was dispatched, because of the original call that the vehicle was close to a building.

Dive Team Mutual Aid to Orono

From Station #5 Web site

The Bangor Fire Department Dive Team responded to Orono around 8:22am for mutual aid with Heavy Rescue 1. Orono Fire Department requested Bangor’s assistance for a vehicle in the water. Rescue divers made entry into the water then remained to assist with removal of the vehicle. The incident is currently under investigation by Orono authorities.

Fire at Carmel Electric

by WABI-TV5 News Desk · Nov 09th 2009 ·

1st Alarm Fire, 427 Essex St.

From Station 5 web site

At 21:06 hrs, Central (Eng 1, Lad 1, FC 1, Res 1) and Station 5 (Eng 5, Res 5) units were dispatched to, 427 Essex St. a multi unit apartment fire. Dispatch reported a structure fire in apartment 4, the tenant reported fire in the kitchen that was spreading. First on scene, Engine 1 reported smoke conditions on side “B” of a 2 ½ wood frame construction. Engine 5, Rescue 5 hooked in the hydrant, laying 600ft. of 4in. Command had reports of occupants still in the building above the fire floor, Ladder 1 was assigned. Ladder 1 searched above the fire floor, all clear was given for life safety and no fire extension was found. Due to the response and team effort of the Bangor firefighters with the fast attack of Engine 1’s crew, the fire was quickly knocked down.

The fire is currently under investigation.

Construction worker injured in 19 foot fall

From Station 5 web site

Rescue 5 responded with Engine 1 to a fall injury at the bridge construction site of I95 and Hammond St. The construction worker sustained injuries after falling from a 19ft bridge support currently under construction. The engine and rescue crews stabalized and extricated the victim from below grade before transporting him to the local trauma center.

Photo’s courtesy of WABI News

C-Crew Responds to Roll Over

Bangor firefighters remove Robin Lay from a sport utility vehicle in which she was a passenger after the vehicle left the highway and rolled over at mile 182 on Interstate 95 northbound in Bangor on Monday. David Leith and Lay were traveling north in a Chevy Blazer with Connecticut plates when Leith became distracted, Maine State Police Trooper Trevor Snow said. Leith tried to stay in the travel lane but overcorrected and ended up in the soft shoulder on the right of the roadway. The SUV rolled over multiple times and landed on its roof, Snow said. Lay was pinned in the vehicle for more than a half-hour and had to be removed by firefighters, Snow said. Leith and Lay suffered minor injuries and were taken to Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. Snow said Leith had been working in the area but he didn’t know for how long. The vehicle was filled with personal items, such as clothing and a television, that were thrown from the SUV when it crashed.

From Bangor Daily News

Garage Fire - 188 West Broadway

From Station 5's Web Page

Central units dispatched to 188 West Broadway for structure fire. First arriving police units reported smoke conditions from the garage.  Engine 1 reported a working fire in the garage. Central units enroute at 0130 hrs, reported fire under control 0205 hrs.

For more information and for radio traffic click here.

June 16, 2009

At 7:10 PM, a call was made to 911 for a kitchen fire at 52 Warwick Street. Upon Arrival of first due Engine 6 and Rescue 6 found heavy fire showing from the front of the building. Station 6 units and Central Units were able to make a fast knock down (under 10 minutes) using 2 hand lines. Units remained on scene for about 1 1/2 hours doing mop-up and checking for extension.

Extensive damage was caused from heat and smoke. There were no injuries to the homeowners or to fire crews. Investigation - Caused by unattended and over heated grease/oil on the stove..

For more photos and to listen to the radio traffic - go to Station 5's website

Bangor Firefighters Train on Main Street

Bangor firefighters train on a controlled burn Sunday on a vacant apartment building on Main Street. Crews practiced on several fires set in different sections of the building, allowing firefighters to train for a variety of situations, including venting roofs, tearing down and breaching walls, and conducting search and rescue operations. The structure eventually was set on fire again and allowed to burn slowly. The neighboring structure, which once housed a bridal store, will be razed, Assistant Fire Chief Darrell Cyr said in a previous Bangor Daily News article. The properties at 440-460 Main St. must be removed from the site to make way for a Tim Hortons coffee shop and restaurant.

During April of 2009, 3 groups of members from Local 772 attended crash rescue training in Westover, Massachusetts. We were invited by the ANG Station 3 guys (BIA) to join them for the training. Over the years, we have had members attend training around the country, with our brothers and sisters from the airport.

All of the training was done at the Westover Air Force base, and we also worked with members from the base down there. Training that we did included: Driving and operation of the crash trucks, vehicle placement, turret operation, hand line operations that included interior and exterior evolutions.

Thanks to Captain Glenn Williamson, Chief West and A/C Libby for being our hosts and teachers.Also thanks to our hosts at the Westover AFB.

Just before 9 am, March 13, 2009, Station 5 was requested for mutual aid at 34 Main St., Orono.  Quick action by our brothers in Orono limited the potential damage to the building.  Station 5 Co. operations dealt with salvage and smoke ejection over the fire floor.

Aggressive work by the first in Companies lead to a quick containment of the “All Hands” fire on outer Essex street just after 4pm on March 21. First in reports had fire showing from windows on the second floor of the residential structure. The first due companies were Engine's 6&1, Rescues 6&1, Ladder 1 and FC 1.

Engine and Rescue 5 were dispatched with the declaration of the “All Hands Working Fire”. Engine 5 operations consisted mainly of salvage and Rescue 5 operations consisted of exterior ground ladder operations followed by salvage.

Engine and Rescue 5 Co.’s answered the call from Old Town, for a residential fire. Station 5 Co.’s were immediately assigned as the RIT team for this working fire. As additional Co’s arrived, Lt. VanPeursem, with Rescue 5, were rotated in for overhaul on the first floor.

First in reports had heavy fire in the attic, second floor and back half of the first floor. Crews initially made interior attacks from the first floor, but the tide turner came from Orono’s Tower. With crews pulled from the building, Tower 245 beat the snot out of it, once again giving the guys a shot at the inside. Interior crews were quick and methodical with their final blows to the fire.

Our brothers and sisters on the Old Town and Orono departments once again did a stand up job knocking this one in the teeth.

Kudos to the guys on our eastern border, sweet job.