ALFRED — Former Old Orchard Beach Fire Chief Ricky Plummer has pleaded not guilty to charges of arson and failure to control or report a fire. 

Plummer, 60, was charged with arson on May 7 in relation to a fire on April 15 that spread over more than 40 acres of marsh grass and woods west of East Grand avenue in Old Orchard Beach. 

Officials estimated the fire spread at a rate of 200 to 500 feet per minute. 

During the time of the fire, Plummer was the town’s fire chief and was quoted as saying that, “The winds were unbelievable. The fire was going past us like a freight train.”

Surveillance footage from a nearby hotel showed Plummer and his work vehicle with the Fire Depart-ment logo on the side near the area of the fire’s origin on April 15 shortly before the fire was reported.

During a May 7 interview, Plummer told Maine Forest Ranger Matthew Bennett that he had walked out into the woods and marsh area on April 15 to get some “peace” and smoke a cigarette he had taken from his wife. 

Plummer told the forest ranger he threw used matches on the ground, and then threw the cigarette in the area of chest-high cattails. Plummer said he walked out of the marsh and woods area, unaware that a fire had started.

He told Bennett he was not a frequent smoker, and no one would be able to verify this habit. No cigarette butts or smoking material were found at the origin of the fire, according to Bennett.

Plummer made a brief court appearance at York County Superior Court Thursday morning.

He was neat in appearance, dressed in a suit and tie. He did not speak directly to Justice Daniel Driscoll. Through his attorney William Bly, Plummer pleaded not guilty to the two charges against him.

After his arrest, Plummer was put on administrative leave and resigned from his position May 15.

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