LEWISTON, Maine — Emergency crews in Lewiston responded Wednesday afternoon to a structure fire on College Street at a residence where several search warrants were executed this year in connection with an ongoing drug investigation.
Lewiston firefighters were dispatched to the structure fire at 149 College St. around 3:30 p.m. after hearing reports of an explosion, assistant Fire Chief Mark Anderson said. Crews at the scene told NEWS CENTER Maine that they were able to contain the fire mostly in the garage, and that structure was nearly leveled by the blaze.
St. Laurent and Lewiston Fire Chief Mark Caron said College Street was temporarily closed Wednesday evening between Union and Davis during the emergency response.
Emergency officials said Wednesday evening that two firefighters received minor injuries, but no civilian injuries were reported, and one of the firefighters was already released from care by about 9 p.m.
According to a news release issued Aug. 15 on the Lewiston Police Department's social media page, four warrants were executed at that location within nine months "as part of an ongoing drug investigation." Five people were arrested during that search on numerous drug-related charges.
The house had gained a reputation among neighbors. "That house was always into trouble," Chandelier Meli, who lives a block away, said Wednesday. "I think it was a matter of time [before] something like this was going to happen."
According to the Lewiston planning and code enforcement office, the city cited the house several times for violations, with trash and debris on the property. After the most recent search warrant by police revealed the property did not have electricity or running water, it was condemned.
"There were no smoke detectors. There's just debris everywhere that could catch fire," Jonathan Connor, Lewiston's director of planning and code enforcement, said.
Connor said a city leaders would meet Thursday to discuss a "plan of action" to ensure "the community is safe. "
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