Significant Fire at Adley’s Auto Sales and Service
A fire severely damaged a commercial building at Adley’s Auto Sales and Service in Rumford on Tuesday evening, resulting in damages estimated at over $1 million, according to Fire Chief Chris Reed.
The impacted structure on Prospect Street housed various equipment, including tow trucks, an excavator, a Bobcat, and numerous tools, all of which were lost in the blaze.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is currently ongoing. Business owner Brad Adley mentioned to Reed that they had recently thawed a water pipe in the building’s corner and had subsequently cooled it before reinserting the insulation. Adley reportedly did not detect any unusual smells when he checked the pipe before locking up for the night.
Firefighters Respond to Inferno
The fire broke out in a section of the building removed from the primary repair area. When firefighters arrived, the building was already filled with smoke and flames.
Firefighters managed to cut open the garage door, enabling one firefighter to enter and drive out a burning new tow truck before further damage occurred. Chief Reed noted that Adley had yet to make his first payment on the truck.
While the firefighters were able to extinguish the flames on the truck, they were unable to save other vital equipment, including additional tow trucks, an excavator, a Bobcat, and several tools.
Emergency Response and Impact on Traffic
Route 2 was closed on both sides to facilitate the firefighting efforts as hoses were laid across the road. Firefighters successfully managed to prevent the fire from reaching a used oil storage area on the premises.
Approximately 50 firefighters from multiple departments, including Rumford, Mexico, Dixfield, Peru, Andover, Roxbury, and Jay, responded to the incident, with no reported injuries. Med-Care Ambulance service, the Rumford Police Department, and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection were also on the scene, while the Rumford Highway Department assisted with road closures.
Due to the significant damage caused, the Office of the State Fire Marshal has been called in to investigate further. Adley’s Auto Sales and Service has been operational for over 40 years, as noted on its website.
By 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Rumford firefighters had cleared the area, but Reed and state fire investigators planned to return later that afternoon to continue examining the scene for clues regarding the fire’s origin.
