WESTBROOK – Three families are looking for a new home after a three-alarm fire destroyed an apartment building at 689 Main St. in Westbrook at around 9 p.m. on June 26.

Westbrook Public Safety Director Mike Pardue said that the blaze destroyed the building and the flames leapt to the house next door at 691 Main St. scorching the side of that building as well. While the two families at 691 Main St. are also temporarily homeless, Pardue said he expects that they will be soon back home in the building, as it was only closed as a precaution. He added that fire crews fast action spared that home from more serious damage. “That building truly was saved by the quick response of the firefighters,” Pardue said.

Pardue also singled out Police Officer Chris Burgess for his actions at the scene. He said that Burgess was one of the first people to arrive, and he was able to get into the building and rescue a woman on the second floor, getting her out just before the fire spread, sparing her from serious injury.

With the fire station is just two blocks away from the scene, crews were able to arrive at the fire quickly, Pardue said. However, when the initial five-man crew arrived, they immediately knew the blaze was bigger than they expected. “They had flames just rolling out of the building,” Pardue said.

The fire rapidly escalated to three alarms, and Pardue said crews from Portland, Falmouth, Gorham, Scarborough and Windham assisted Westbrook at the scene. “We had tremendous support and response,” Pardue said.

Pardue said an initial investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s office showed that the cause of the fire was a child playing with a lighter. He said that the investigation indicated that the building wasn’t salvageable. “It seems to be a total loss at this point,” he said.

The Salvation Army is assisting the three families displaced by the fire, Pardue said. He added that no firefighters were injured at the scene, but one person was taken to the hospital to be treated for potential smoke inhalation.

A three-alarm fire destroyed this apartment building at 689 Main St. in Westbrook during the evening of June 26, leaving three families homeless. (Staff photo by Robert Lowell)