LEWISTON — Firefighters made quick work of a kitchen fire at a three-story apartment house on Lisbon Street on Thursday, but the fire clogged traffic over several neighborhoods.
Fire crews went to 928 Lisbon St. at about 2 p.m. after reports of smoke pouring from a third-floor apartment. While police closed a section of Lisbon Street to traffic, firefighters attacked the flames and checked apartments for occupants.
A woman who was walking in the area when firefighters arrived said several motorists tried to continue driving toward the downtown on Lisbon Street even after police had blocked the road.
Several witnesses reported seeing smoke coming out of the top of the building tucked between Acadia Avenue and Rosedale Street, but none saw flames.
Lewiston Fire Inspector Paul Ouellette said the blaze started when items stored on top of the stove caught fire. The apartment occupant told investigators that he had placed a laptop on the stove, which may have pressed the burner control button.
One of the burners was glowing red when firefighters arrived, Ouellette said, with the control knob found in the “high” position.
No one was injured in the fire, but four people who live in the apartment were left homeless. They were being assisted later Thursday by the American Red Cross. Occupants of the other five apartments were able to return home, Ouellette said.
Firefighters declared the blaze under control 20 minutes after they arrived at the scene. Crews brought in fans to blow smoke from the building while others using heat-detecting cameras searched walls and ceilings for hot spots.
Traffic, meanwhile, was a mess. While police opened two lanes of traffic on Lisbon Street 30 minutes after closing them, heavy traffic had already spilled onto nearby streets. On Pleasant and Webster streets, which run parallel to Lisbon Street, traffic slowed to a crawl in places. Normally quiet side streets were jammed with cars and trucks as motorists tried to find alternative routes.
According to city records, the building’s assessed value is $120,180. Damage was estimated at $10,000.
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