AUGUSTA — Fires that occurred along train tracks in Scarborough, Old Orchard Beach, Saco and Biddeford in May were caused by sparks from a Pan Am freight train, due to an undetermined mechanical problem, according to a state report.

The Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry announced Thursday afternoon it had issued a report after a two-month investigation of the fires that occurred along the railroad track on May 8.

The investigation determined that no state laws were violated, and there are no charges pending in relation to the fires, according to the department.

On May 8, there were at least 47 separate fires along the train tracks in the four communities, according to the statement. Numerous fire departments came to help suppress fires, as did two forest rangers and a forest service helicopter.

The hardest hit area was the Wagon Wheel Campground in Old Orchard Beach, where 10 camper trailers were destroyed, and several others were damaged.

The total damage from all the fires is still being tallied, but is expected to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to the department.

Forest rangers and investigators conducted several interviews and received multiple eyewitness accounts of sparks, the smell of burning rubber, and smoke coming from a Pan Am freight train. Investigators also analyzed fire behavior, and the timeline of trains that used the tracks that day, according to the statement.

There were no fatalities or serious injuries reported due to the fire. One Saco resident was transported by ambulance for medical treatment due to smoke inhalation, and one firefighter was examined for dehydration and heat exhaustion, according to the report.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.