Sprinkler Activation, Quick Resident Action Prevent Fire Spread at Caribou Apartments
January 21, 2026 — The Caribou Fire and Ambulance Department responded early Wednesday morning to a fire alarm at Hilltop Apartments, where a sprinkler system and a resident’s quick use of a fire extinguisher prevented a potentially serious incident from spreading.
At approximately 12:22 a.m., crews were dispatched to the apartment complex at 19 Marshall Avenue. While firefighters were en route, multiple 911 calls were received from tenants reporting smoke and fire in a hallway. Upon arrival, responders found smoke conditions in one wing of the building and an activated sprinkler head. A partial evacuation was already underway, and firefighters completed the evacuation of remaining residents.
The fire was determined to be extinguished prior to the fire department’s arrival due to the sprinkler activation and the actions of a resident who deployed a fire extinguisher. The cause was identified as a malfunctioning battery-powered string light device inside a decorative hallway item.
Although the fire did not spread, 36 residents were displaced due to extensive water damage in the area of origin caused by the sprinkler system. With temperatures below zero, RSU 39 provided a heated school bus to shelter displaced residents while fire department operations were completed.
Officials credited properly functioning smoke detectors and the sprinkler system with preventing a larger fire and limiting damage. The Caribou Fire and Ambulance Department thanked the Caribou Police Department, the Caribou School Department for providing the heated bus, and the Presque Isle Fire Department and Presque Isle Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 5459 for providing station coverage during the incident.
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