
DURHAM — A house was damaged and a barn destroyed late Saturday on Meadow Road in Durham, according to officials.
The three-story barn collapsed, a garage was destroyed and the house at 422 Meadow Road was exposed to flames, Durham Fire Chief Robert Tripp said.
Crews from 11 fire departments responded at about 9:15 p.m. Saturday, Tripp said, and the barn collapsed less than an hour later.
Firefighters had trouble getting water to the scene because Durham only has dry hydrants, according to Tripp. More than 55,000 gallons of water from tanker trucks were used to battle flames and save the house.
Shortly after 3 a.m. Sunday, Tripp reported three firefighters had suffered minor injuries while fighting the blaze. Two Durham firefighters were brought to Mid Coast Hospital in Brunswick for evaluation, after which they were released.
A third firefighter from North Yarmouth was evaluated at the scene and released.
“Crews were on scene for 10 hours solid,” Tripp said Sunday afternoon. “The crews did a phenomenal job. They put themselves in harm’s way, between the fire and the exposure and they held.”
Tripp said crews left the scene at about 7 a.m. Sunday, and the house, while damaged, was saved.
Tripp said Sunday the fire remained under investigation. He said he expects to meet at the scene Monday morning with a representative of the Office of State Fire Marshal.
Firefighters from Auburn, Lewiston, Lisbon, Freeport, Brunswick, Pownal, New Gloucester, Topsham, Yarmouth and North Yarmouth, along with ambulances from Freeport Rescue, Brunswick Rescue and United Ambulance, also responded to the fire.

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