Staff Writer

Fire and police officials continue to investigate an arson fire as the community rallies around the 13 residents left homeless last week.

The Maine Fire Marshal’s Office determined last week the three-alarm fire that destroyed their Biddeford apartment building on Nov. 9 was arson. The fire started on an outside porch along the side of the building, said Maine Department of Public Safety Spokesman Stephen McCausland. 

In the days after the fire, community members collected clothing and furniture and organized a fundraising dinner for the four families left homeless.

The fire at 22 Cutts St. began around 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 9, said Biddeford Deputy Fire Chief Scott Gagne. Firefighters arrived to find the four-story building fully engulfed with flames coming through the roof, he said.

Gagne said fire spread throughout the 10-unit building, which is a total loss. Firefighters cleared the scene at 4:30 a.m. Gagne said the building’s 13 tenants were out of the building when fire crews arrived. No one was injured.

The Saco, Goodwins Mills and Scarborough fire departments assisted at the scene.

Gagne said the fire department had been called to the building in the past for small outside fires. McCausland declined to comment on whether officials have any suspects.

“The fire marshal’s office is working closely with the Biddeford Fire and Police departments to determine who started the blaze,” McCausland said.

The American Red Cross assisted tenants with food, housing and clothing. Jason Shedlock, director of emergency services for the southern Maine chapter, said the American Red Cross responded to the scene to help tenants with immediate needs.

Shedlock said he and a volunteer worked with tenants to provide food, clothing, shelter and replace medication destroyed by the fire. They also continue to make sure tenants’ health and mental health needs are met and to ensure they are hooked up with other services available to help them, he said.

Shedlock said tenants also are supported by their neighbors, who began to help even as fire crews worked to put out the fire.

“The response from the community has been fantastic,” he said. “It’s really been heartening to see the amount of response from the community.”

Leo Menard, a member of the Saco Bay Rotary Club, said he is not surprised the people of Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach were so quick to lend a hand when their neighbors needed help. The Saco Bay Rotary Club and Biddeford Saco Rotary Club collected furniture Saturday with from Thornton Academy and University of New England students.

Menard said the groups collected nearly all the furniture needed for displaced families in one day. A few more bedroom sets are still needed, as well as appliances, dishes, pots and pans, utensils and linens, he said.

Local branches of Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution are collecting clothing for the families, Menard said. He said Target also gave a $249 gift card to each family. Doug Sanford, owner of the Pepperell Mill complex, has offered the Rotary clubs space to store furniture until tenants find new apartments.

“People have been extremely generous. It’s been a whole community effort,” Menard said. “The community is very, very good about helping out. We have an area where people really pitch in.”

Amanda Harris of Old Orchard Beach said she rushed to Cutts Street during the fire to help her ex-boyfriend, who lived in the building. She said she woke up the next morning “and said ‘I can do more than this.’”

Harris decided to organize a fundraising dinner for the residents because they need to replace alltheir belongings. The Rochambeau Club in Biddeford donated the use of the facility for a spaghetti supper on Dec. 8.

Kathy Duke, director of Stone Soup Food Pantry in Biddeford, said the pantry was used the night of the fire as a place for tenants to warm up and meet with the American Red Cross. She said people began donating to the victims immediately.

“If you get a lot of people involved, it’s remarkable what can be accomplished,” she said.

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.