SANFORD, Maine — The Sanford Fire Department responded to an apartment building fire at 29 River Street on Thursday.
Video shows heavy smoke in the area as crews fought the fire. The call came in around 11:40 a.m., according to Sanford Deputy Police Chief Eric Small.
Nobody was in the building when crews arrived, but some pets were rescued, Sanford Assistant Fire Chief Rick Smith told NEWS CENTER Maine.
Smith said the American Red Cross is helping those who have been displaced by the fire.
"The high winds have been greatly detrimental to our fire fighting effort because they've been very strong and coming from multiple directions," Smith told NEWS CENTER Maine at the scene.
"There's multiple fires occurring in the county simultaneously, and so, normal outside mutual aid is coming from further and further away, which also hampers fire fighting efforts, but a wind driven fire like today requires lots of help," he added.
Smith said that due to the type of building and the high winds, equipment would be used to tear down the building in pieces to fully extinguish the fire.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal also responded to the scene. The cause of the fire is currently unknown.