ORONO, Maine -- A fire that broke out Saturday night at the Stillwater Village Apartments displaced around 21 students, University of Maine spokesman Joe Carr said Sunday.
The good news is that no students were injured, he said, adding the university is working with the students to get them temporary housing and to replace their school supplies.
The fire was reported at the multiunit apartment complex at around 6 p.m. Saturday night and spread from the back basement of one of the units to the third floor, according to Orono fire Lt. Scott Luciano.
Firefighters from Orono, Old Town and Veazie fought the blaze, which damaged a number of apartments. More than 30 units at the complex were evacuated and a section of College Avenue in front of the apartment complex was closed to traffic for more than two hours.
Firefighters were still at the scene after 9:30 p.m. Saturday. What caused the fire was unknown Saturday, Luciano said.
"Two injuries were reported: one firefighter suffered an exertion injury and another hurt his hand," Luciano said. The Orono fire inspector and police department are investigating the cause of the blaze and investigators with the State Fire Marshal's Office are expected to arrive Monday to help with the investigation, the fire lieutenant said.
There was another fire at the same apartment complex back in March that reportedly started on a back porch of one unit and spread to the building. That fire displaced 16 students.
"Student affair staff and others were at the scene of the fire last night," Carr said Sunday. "Twenty-one students were displaced and the university's focus is to provide those students what they need to continue with their education."
The displaced students have been offered housing, access to meal plans at the university commons and "we're working with them to replace text books and other vital equipment" such as computers, Carr said.
