CALAIS — The Arson Information Council in Augusta has offered a reward of up to $1,000 for information about the person or persons who started the fire at the Bridges Brothers Inc. warehouse on Main Street late last year.

Shortly after midnight Monday, Nov. 11, a passerby saw smoke coming from the rear of the building at 186 Main St. The uninsured building, that was used as a maintenance garage, was owned by Bridges Brothers Inc., a blueberry-growing company that operates in Maine and New Brunswick.

When firefighters arrived, the rear of the structure was engulfed in flames. High winds in the area that morning at one point threatened to spread the fire to an adjacent gasoline station. The building contained many flammable materials, and some of those materials exploded. The force of the explosion knocked firefighter David Wunder off his feet. He was taken to Calais Regional Hospital where he was treated and released.

Calais Fire Chief Jack Brocato said Wednesday he was surprised about the renewed interest in the fire. He said soon after the fire, his department had determined it had been caused by arson. He said that conclusion was confirmed a week later by the state Fire Marshal’s Office.

Lt. Ladd Alcott of the state Fire Marshal’s Office said Wednesday that the Arson Information Council was a group of Maine insurance executives who provided tipsters with a reward or payment for information. “Once the case is disposed of, they decide how much money will be issued,” he said. He said the council could issue a reward of up to $1,000. “It depends upon the information and how well we were able to use it,” he said.

Alcott said tipsters often provided information without knowledge that a reward might exist and later were rewarded for their efforts. He said he did not know how many people had collected rewards under the program. “I know that I have given out three checks over the years,” he said.

Anyone who might have information about the Calais fire, Alcott said, should contact the Maine State Police. He said the information would be passed on to the state Fire Marshal’s Office.