SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine – Today, March 8, 2024 at 12:17 AM, the South Portland Fire Department responded to Southern Maine Community College (SMCC), having been alerted by the campus’s fire alarm system.
Upon arrival, crews discovered that the automatic sprinkler system had activated, containing a fire in the Sea Wolves Café. Damage to the building was minor, and the fire did not extend beyond the initially ignited contents. The Sea Wolves Café is located in the SMCC Campus Center where a number of student services are located.
According to Fire Chief Phil Selberg, without the activation of the sprinkler system, damage to the building could have been substantial, and the entire campus would have been disrupted substantially. “This fire occurred in the middle of the night, when no one was in the building to discover it. The sprinkler system worked as it was designed and saved the Campus Center. Automatic sprinkler systems in commercial and residential buildings continue to save lives and property, and we strongly advocate for their installation.”
Due to the location of the campus, the Cape Elizabeth Fire Department also automatically responded. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental.
Photos from the SMCC Campus Center fire 3/8/24 | |