On behalf of the Saco Fire Department, I would like to publicly thank the residents, neighbors and community members who assisted us on Thursday, May 8 at the large fire incident that ran along the railroad tracks in Saco.

The situation we faced was numerous fires burning along the 1.59-mile stretch of railroad tracks from Common Street to the Old Orchard Beach town line, along with a large woods fire off Cumberland Avenue that burned 15 acres.

Many property owners whose land abuts the railroad right of way had damage to personal property including fencing, sheds and other belongings that were stored in their yards. At one point, a small gas grill propane tank became involved, which created some very tense moments. With fires also burning in Scarborough, Old Orchard Beach and Biddeford, we were unable to receive assistance from those communities as we normally would, requiring us to reach out to outlying departments to get the necessary assistance needed to bring this emergency under control. The response by individual property owners, their neighbors and members of the community who stopped to help out was overwhelming, and we can say that had it not been for this assistance, there is the real possibility that more damage would have occurred.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the following individuals and organizations for their assistance at this fire event: Saco Mayor Donald Pilon, the Saco Police Department and Saco dispatch, Saco Public Works, Saco Code Enforcement, the Saco assessor, Biddeford Fire Department, Buxton Fire Department, Hollis Fire Department, Waterboro Fire Department, Scarborough Fire Department, Alfred Fire Department, Gorham Fire Department, Windham Fire Department, Arundel Fire Department, Goodwin’s Mills Fire Department, Kennebunkport Fire Department, the Maine Forest Service and York County Emergency Management Agency.

Fortunately, fire incidents like the one we experienced last Thursday do not occur often. The Saco Fire Department is very grateful for the assistance and support that we received on that day.

John L. Duross, Saco fire chief