PRESQUE ISLE — A dumpster fire outside of Wieden Hall Auditorium at University of Maine at Presque Isle a little after 3 p.m. Tuesday was caused by a stray spark from a construction crew’s welding equipment that ignited foam insulation, according to Presque Isle’s fire chief.
Construction crews were welding the roof of Wieden Hall.
No injuries were reported, but Folsom and Pullen halls were evacuated after fire alarms sounded.
The construction crew tried to put out the fire with extinguishers but couldn’t stop it from spreading into the dumpster, Presque Isle Fire Chief Darrell White said.
White estimated the fire would be totally extinguished in about 30 minutes and planned to empty the dumpster and hose it out.
Gil’s Sanitation Services brought another dumpster to replace the fire-damaged unit.
As a precaution, tonight’s classes at UMPI were canceled due to excess smoke remaining in the air.
