Saco fire officials continue to investigate the cause of a fire that destroyed two buildings Saturday.

Firefighters were called to 2 Piney Woods Road at 11:06 p.m. Saturday, said Capt. Marc Paquette. The fire destroyed the two-story home and a small building on the same property.

“The damage is very extensive,” Paquette said.

The cause of the fire has not been determined. Paquette said no residents were at home when the fire was reported. A firefighter was treated at the hospital for an eye injury caused by debris.

Paquette said firefighters experienced some difficulty fighting the fire because of deep snow around the home. Firefighters did not enter the building because of the extensive damage and concerns about stability of the building.

Paquette said it took firefighters several hours to put out the blaze and hot spots. Biddeford and Old Orchard Beach firefighters assisted at the scene.

Alert issued after OOB copper theft

Old Orchard Beach police are asking residents to watch for suspicious behavior after copper was reported stolen following a recent snowstorm.

Lt. Timothy DeLuca said a Free Street homeowner reported Feb. 4 that copper piping was stolen from his summer cottage. The neighborhood largely consists of summer homes that are empty during winter.

DeLuca said the homeowner came to Old Orchard Beach to shovel after a Feb. 2 snowstorm. Police found fresh footprints in the snow and believe the copper theft occurred after the storm. Whoever took the utility piping had easy access because the cottage is raised off the ground, he said.

DeLuca said police are not sure exactly how much copper was taken, but “it was quite a bit of piping.” Detectives continue to investigate the theft and are checking with businesses that deal in copper and metals.

Police alerted the town’s Community Watch Council and neighborhood watch network to the theft and asked residents to watch out for suspicious activity.

“If any thing is out of the ordinary people should call police, even if it appears to be a work or construction vehicle,” DeLuca said.

Residents should call 911 to report suspicious activity as it is happening. DeLuca said this is the first report of copper theft in town.

State issues order in case of alleged bias

A Biddeford man was ordered to have no contact with two middle school students and comply with the Maine Civil Rights Act.

Attorney General William Schneider announced last week that York County Superior Court handed down the order against 31-year-old Michael Ryan. The order also prohibits Ryan from using or threatening to use physical force against any person based on bias.

The court order arises from allegations Ryan threatened a 13-year-old girl and 12-year-old boy as they walked past his home on their way to school on Sept. 20, 2010. The attorney general’s complaint alleges Ryan addressed the girl with racial epithets and blamed people of her race for problems in schools and the welfare system.

Ryan allegedly threatened to assault the girl if she did not get away from his house and said if she walked by the building people would wait on the porch to beat her up. Violation of the order is a class D crime punishable by up to 364 days in jail.

“No student should be afraid to walk to school because of the color of their skin. My office is committed to enforcing the Maine Civil Rights Act to ensure that our schools and streets are safe from violence and harassment based on race or color,” Schneider said in a prepared statement.

McArthur Library hires new director

McArthur Public Library will welcome a new director this month.

Jeffrey Cabral will lead the Biddeford library beginning Feb. 28. He replaces Dora St. Martin, who left in November to sail around the world with her husband. Interim Director Sally Leahey will return to her position as assistant director.

Cabral is moving to Maine from the Philadelphia area, where he served as director of Yeadon Public Library. He has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the Wharton School of Business at University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in library science from Victoria University in New Zealand, Leahey said.

Leahey said she expects Cabral’s marketing and library background to bring new ideas and energy to the library.

“It’s very exciting,” Leahey said. “He’s very interested in becoming part of the Biddeford community.”

TA names successor for headmaster

Thornton Academy Headmaster Carl Stasio Jr. will retire in July 2012 from the position he has held since 1986.

Rene Menard was chosen by the Thornton Academy Board of Trustees to take over as headmaster. Menard, a 1988 Thornton graduate, currently is associate headmaster. He will be the eighth headmaster since 1889, when the academy opened at its current location.

Menard has been a history and political science teacher, coach and dean of students at the Saco school. He has been associate headmaster since 2007.

“This is a great honor and privilege,” Menard said in a prepared statement. “I’m very thankful to Headmaster Stasio and the TA Board of Trustees. Having the opportunity to serve in this position has special meaning to me because TA has been so instrumental in shaping who I am today. There were many teachers and coaches here who made a difference in my life growing up and it’s been my goal to do the same for young people as both a teacher and now administrator.”

During his time at Thornton, Stasio has overseen the addition of the middle school and international boarding programs, Garland Auditorium, Hyde Library, Atkinson Dining Commons, an arts wing and improvements to outdoor athletic facilities.

“It’s hard to imagine Thornton Academy without Carl,” Board of Trustees President Eric Purvis said. “He’s been a leader, an educator, a mentor and a friend. Carl has been the lifeblood of our school, overseeing changes and advancing the school throughout his 25 years at Thornton. Certainly TA is a better school today because of his efforts.”

City issues roof snow advisory

The city of Biddeford has issued a roof snow load advisory to all property owners.

Many buildings have a large accumulation of snow on their roofs from recent storms that brought heavy snowfall, according to a statement from Roby Fecteau, director of code enforcement and emergency management. City officials warn large amounts of snow on roofs can lead to leaks, roof damage and collapse.

Fecteau advises property owners reduce or remove snow in anticipation of additional snowfall in the next few weeks.

– Compiled by Staff Writer Gillian Graham