PORTLAND, Maine — The City of Portland hopes to have its single adult homeless shelter return to normal capacity early this week following a fire at the Oxford Street Shelter last week.
Repairs continue on the building, according to Kristen Dow, director of Portland Health and Human Services.
"We anticipate the building will be fully opened by early next week. We do not have a total cost of the repairs yet since they are ongoing, but we have done electrical and plumbing work in addition to a scheduled deep clean of the directly impacted area on the 3rd floor," Dow told NEWS CENTER Maine.
A fire broke out in a third-floor bathroom shortly after 3 p.m. on January 31, according to city officials.
According to Dow, the city is housing about 35 individuals in hotel rooms who would otherwise be at the shelter if space permitted.
The shelter has been able to house some individuals on the first and second floors of the building following the fire.
Portland officials stated at the time of the fire that they believed it was set intentionally. The state fire marshal and the Portland Fire Department’s Fire Investigation Team are investigating the cause of the fire.
Nobody was injured in the fire and everyone was evacuated safely.
