Fire destroys Oxford garage

TOTAL LOSS — A 40- by 40-foot auto repair garage at 42 Old County Road in Oxford, owned by Phil Perkins, was completely destroyed by fire around 7:15 p.m. on October 17, resulting in an estimated $100,000 worth of damage, reported Oxford Fire Chief Scott Hunter. According to Hunter, Perkins was at home next to the garage when he spotted the flames. Perkins told Hunter that he'd been doing some welding in his garage earlier in the day, but wasn't sure whether it sparked the fire. Hunter said the building was not insured and was totally engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on scene. Along with Oxford Fire Department, firefighters from Otisfield, Norway, Paris, Mechanic Falls, Poland, New Gloucester and Casco helped shuttle water to the scene. Due to the extensive damage, Hunter said the cause of the fire may not be determined.