Four vehicles are destroyed by a fire in the RSU 20 bus garage in Searsport.
Four departments – from Belfast, Stockton Springs, West Frankfort, and Bucksport – assisted Searsport Fire and Rescue, which was called to the scene on Prospect Street at 3:35 p.m. Saturday.
Firefighters say a section of the roof was compromised, forcing crews to operate in defensive mode before the fire was put out in about two-and-a-half hours.
The Maine Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.
One school bus and one in-service pickup truck were in the building at the time along with two other vehicles that were undergoing long-term repairs. All four vehicles were destroyed.
The Searsport interim chief said RSU 20 bus drivers arrived to move buses away from the building and left one running for firefighters to use as a place to warm up and eat food. He thanked Edward’s in Searsport for making pizza for firefighters.
Investigators determined the fire originated in the area of the right rear portion of the building, where a pickup truck and a school bus were parked. Fire investigators are scheduled to return to the scene on Monday to conduct follow-up interviews with bus mechanics as part of the ongoing effort to determine the cause of the fire.
