WATERVILLE — A mechanical problem is believed to be the cause of a fire that engulfed the engine of a car and shut down one lane of traffic Friday morning on Interstate 95.
According to Waterville Fire Chief Shawn Esler, firefighters were dispatched shortly after 11 a.m. to the northbound lanes near exit 127. Esler said it took firefighters just over 10 minutes to get to the scene, given that they had to leave the central fire station, drive down the southbound lane, and turn around to get back onto the northbound lane to reach the car.
“That’s a reasonable response time,” Esler said.
Esler said about seven firefighters went to the scene and extinguished the fire in less than five minutes. He said they had to close the right lane in order to put out the fire but kept one lane open. By 12:30 p.m., he said, he thinks both lanes of traffic were open again.
He also said state police went to the scene. Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland said he was not aware of the fire Friday morning, but he said Troop C probably had responded.
Esler said he thinks the car, a four-door sedan, was owned by Morrissette, Inc., of Waterville.
Colin Ellis — 861-9253
cellis@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @colinoellis
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