Lewiston police are investigating two residential fires that broke out Saturday night, one of which was initially treated as an “active crime scene” after witnesses reported hearing what sounded like gunshots or small explosions moments before flames erupted.
Police and firefighters were dispatched around 8:45 p.m. to a single-family home at 146 Grove St., according to the Lewiston Police Department. Witnesses told authorities they heard loud popping or explosive noises coming from the home shortly before the fire became visible.
Crews from the Lewiston Fire Department battled the blaze for much of the night. After conditions were deemed safe enough to enter the building, firefighters discovered a deceased pet inside the home. No people were injured.
The Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office has been called in to assist with determining the cause of the fire. A State Fire Marshal vehicle was observed at the scene later that night.
Not long after the Grove Street fire, emergency crews responded to a second residential fire at the corner of Sabattus Street and Jean Street, roughly two miles away. Authorities said the second fire is not believed to be connected to the Grove Street incident and is currently thought to have been caused by an electrical issue. No injuries were reported in that fire.
As of Sunday afternoon, police said it remains unclear whether the two fires are connected, what sparked the Grove Street blaze, or whether the second fire is considered suspicious.
The back-to-back incidents come just days after three separate house fires broke out in Lewiston on Thursday. Officials have said none of those earlier fires were linked to criminal activity, though the cause of each remains under investigation.
