A Monday night house fire on Libby Avenue drew a significant public-safety response, with firefighters battling the blaze while police officers searched the surrounding area, a drone operated overhead and Veterans Memorial Bridge was temporarily closed.
Firefighters were dispatched to 14 Libby Ave. at approximately 7:15 p.m. Monday, where crews encountered fire in the upper portion of the residence.
At the same time, police officers were seen searching nearby streets and wooded areas. Some officers were carrying long guns, while a drone was also observed operating above the neighborhood.
Veterans Memorial Bridge was closed during the response.
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As of early Tuesday morning, officials had released limited information about the circumstances surrounding the police activity or whether it was directly connected to the fire.
Lewiston Fire Chief Mark Caron said the Maine Office of State Fire Marshal was investigating the blaze.
The involvement of the Fire Marshal’s Office does not necessarily indicate criminal activity. The agency routinely assists local fire departments with determining the origin and cause of serious or unusual fires.
Lewiston police had not publicly identified a suspect or person of interest, and officials had not announced whether anyone had been arrested or detained.
Authorities also had not said whether anyone was injured in the fire or police response.
The police activity occurring at the same time as the fire leaves several questions that remain unanswered.
It is not yet clear whether officers were searching for someone connected to the residence, whether a person fled the area before or after firefighters arrived, or whether the bridge closure was related to the police search.
Officials have also not said whether the fire is considered accidental or suspicious.
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The incident comes as Lewiston continues to focus on public safety following a year that has included shootings, juvenile gun violence and concerns about repeat offenders.
The city has also expanded its use of public-safety technology, including drones, to assist officers during active incidents.
It remains unclear which agency operated the drone seen Monday night or what role it played in the response.
Lewiston’s Public Safety Committee is scheduled to meet Tuesday, followed by a City Council workshop and regular council meeting later in the evening.
Whether the Libby Avenue incident will be discussed during those meetings has not been announced.
Among the key questions that remain are whether the fire and police activity were connected, whether officers were searching for a specific person, whether any weapons were recovered and whether there is any continuing public-safety concern.
As of Tuesday morning, no official cause of the fire had been released.
The Maine Wire has reached out for additional information regarding the incident.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
