Auburn Maine Fire Destroys Snow Removal Equipment
A significant fire at a maintenance garage belonging to the Maine Turnpike Authority has resulted in the destruction of millions of dollars’ worth of snow removal equipment. The blaze began around 6 p.m. on Sunday at the facility located off Hackett Road in Auburn, with hot spots still emerging from the debris by 5 p.m. on Monday. This led firefighters to return to the site for further checks.
The Auburn maintenance garage, one of seven along the Maine Turnpike, was visible from Interstate 95 north near mile marker 76. The fire completely consumed the eight-bay facility and the eight vehicles housed inside, including four plow trucks, a box truck, a loader, a traffic control truck, and a van.
“Two of the plow trucks were brand new, having just been received a few months ago, each costing over $300,000,” stated Peter Merfeld, the interim executive director of the MTA. Merfeld was on-site Monday as investigators from the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office began their inquiry into the fire’s origin.
At the time of the incident, no one was present at the garage. Investigators plan to interview individuals who were last at the facility to check if any equipment was inadvertently left operational. Merfeld noted the challenge of replacing the lost equipment, stating, “Ordering a truck takes at least a year for a build slot, followed by another year for delivery.”
While replacement may take time, spare trucks have been relocated to the Auburn site in preparation for a busy weather week ahead. “Our employees are still operational, and we have enough equipment to continue our work,” Merfeld commented. He added that while the building and equipment replacements will take considerable time, efforts to expedite the process are underway.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. A similar incident occurred in December 2021, when a fire at an MTA garage in Litchfield caused significant damage; however, the cause wasn’t identified due to the level of destruction.
