Weekend blaze engulfs garage in Holden

HOLDEN – Five fire departments responded to a report of a fire that caused more than $100,000 damage to a family’s garage Saturday night.

A passer-by spotted flames rising over the treetops at 11 Kingsbury Road and reported the fire at 6:45 p.m.

The garage contained several vehicles, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, pool chemicals, and diesel, propane and oil tanks, Holden Fire Chief Jim Ellis said.

The Brewer, Eddington, Holden and Dedham fire departments went to the home of Seth and Barbara Mintz, while Orrington’s fire department reported to the Holden department in case the fire, which involved numerous chemicals, got out of control.

“Crews did really well to control the fire and keep it from spreading to nearby structures, considering the amount of chemicals involved,” Ellis said. The garage was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, he said.

Family members were home but in a part of the house where they could not see the flames, Ellis said.

Determining the cause of the fire will be difficult, the chief said. The State Fire Marshal’s Office was called to the scene to investigate. “There were so many possible ignition sources,” Ellis said.

Minimal damage was reported to the vinyl siding of the family’s home and to the plastic dome covering the family’s pool a few yards away, Ellis said.

The value of contents of the garage were estimated at $100,000 to $150,000, while the value of the garage itself was unknown, Ellis said. The garage was insured, he said.