Blaze destroys condominium, apartment building in Bath

BATH – Firefighters who arrived to find flames bursting through the roof of a four-story condominium and apartment building kicked in doors early Monday as they scrambled to evacuate 15 residents, some of whom were still asleep.

Fire Chief Steve Hinds praised firefighters for safely getting everyone out of the 10-unit building before turning their attention to the inferno.

“They were kicking in doors and picking people up right out of bed – just chucking [the residents] over their shoulder and heading out the door. No ‘Hi, how are you doing?’ Not with a fire like this,” Hinds said Monday.

Eight fire departments turned out to fight a blaze that quickly spread through the building, Woolwich Fire Chief Ken Desmond said.

The fire started at about 4:30 a.m., and Desmond said the first priority when his crew arrived with the crews from Bath and West Bath was to get everybody out because it was clear the roof would be caving in.

Alice Myer, one of the residents, was awakened to the sound of sirens and walked to the window, where she saw firetrucks outside.

“I turned to head for the door and before I got to it, the door caved in and there was a fireman. I didn’t even have a chance to get my robe,” she said.

Residents were taken to the Holiday Inn as High Street, which runs near the 4 Schooner Ridge Road complex, was closed to traffic for part of the morning.

The loss from the fire was estimated by police at $1 million or more. The cause was not immediately known, but officials believe it started on a porch at the rear of the building. It was not suspicious, Hinds said.