Wal-Mart Evacuated After Heater Catches Fire Outside

Newport Assistant Fire Chief Rick Turner says the blaze was reported around 4 p.m. Sunday

A Wal-Mart location in central Maine was evacuated after a malfunctioning valve set fire to a heater behind the Palmyra store over the weekend.

Newport Assistant Fire Chief Rick Turner says the blaze was reported around 4 p.m. Sunday by a passing motorist who noticed flames sprouting from the outdoor propane heater.

Turner says the portable heater, which sits about 25 feet from the back of the store, heats propane from liquid to vapor that will be fed to other heaters on the building's roof.

Crews from Newport, Pittsfield and Corinna extinguished the fire in about 15 minutes. No injuries were reported, and the Wal-Mart was reopened following the incident.

The outside heater will be replaced. Turner says there was no external damage to the structure.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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