The cause of the fire that broke out in the woods behind 284 Meadow Road in Raymond on Tuesday could be the handiwork of juveniles.

Bruce Tupper, assistant chief of the Raymond Fire Department, said he doesn’t know what caused the fire Tuesday’s afternoon, but said he does not think it was a result of the warm, dry weather and was probably accidental.

Cumberland County Sheriff’s detectives and officials from the Maine Forest Service are investigating the fire and have interviewed three juveniles who are persons of interest in the blaze that scorched aout an acre of woods. As of press time, no charges have yet been brought against the juveniles. Tupper said it may take until next week to bring forth charges.

Tupper estimates the cost of Tuesday’s fire at approximately $4,000.

The fire occured on Route 121 at about 3:15 p.m. Firefighters from Raymond, Casco, Gray, Windham and New Gloucester responded to the blaze.

Raymond Rescue arrived to provide drinking water and a place to rest for those fatigued from the heat.

Firefighters were seen spraying down the singed area wearing their helmets and T-shirts.

“That’s your typical woods fire-fighting clothes,” said Tupper. He said the protective jackets are worn when inside a burning building, although long-sleeved shirts are recommended for outdoor fires.

Since there were no hydrants, water was brought to the scene by Casco’s Tanker 7 truck. Tupper said 10,000 gallons of water and 50 gallons of foam concentrate were sprayed on the single acre of damage.

A nearby resident, Jean Carter, reported “lots of smoke” emanating from the area during the fire.

Neighbor Mel Roast, 61, said he did not see the fire but that an oil pipeline, which connects the oil farms in South Portland with Canada, is buried in the ground next to where the fire occurred.

Tupper said the oil pipeline was not in any danger, as it is encased and buried for protection.

“This was a quick-spreading surface fire,” he said, adding that it would take a very large fire to penetrate the ground deep enough to reach the pipeline.

Some of the fire trucks had to leave the scene early when a Central Maine Power transformer exploded in Casco two miles away. A one-acre area of grass around the transformer at the intersection of routes 11 and 121 caught fire but was extinguished before it could spread. Firefighters from Otisfield and Poland assisted Casco.

About 6,000 customers were without power from about 4 p.m. when the transformer blew until about 6 p.m. when crews were able to restore power.

Raymondfiremay1-3: Firefighters sprayed down the burning brush while wearing their helmets and t-shirts. Temperatures hovered in the high 60’s in Raymond on Tuesday.Raymondfiremay1-3: Firefighters sprayed down the burning brush while wearing their helmets and t-shirts. Temperatures hovered in the high 60’s in Raymond on Tuesday.Raymondfiremay1-3: Firefighters sprayed down the burning brush while wearing their helmets and t-shirts. Temperatures hovered in the high 60’s in Raymond on Tuesday.Raymondfiremay4: This tanker truck transported the 10,000 gallons of water to the Raymond fire on Tuesday. There were no bodies of water or hydrants near the blaze so Casco firefighters filled the truck from a hydrant on Main Street.