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Flames consume the dining hall at the defunct Elan School on Friday morning at 70 Number Five Road in Poland. The state is investigating the cause. Poland Fire Rescue photo

POLAND — A massive fire that leveled the former dining hall at the defunct Elan School on Friday morning is being investigated by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Poland Fire Rescue Chief Tom Printup confirmed.

The blaze at 70 Number Five Road is at least the second since November. The cause then was listed as undetermined by state fire investigators.

Graphic by Jake Laws

Fire departments from Auburn, Mechanic Falls, Minot, New Gloucester and Oxford assisted Poland Fire Rescue.

Firefighters respond Friday morning to the defunct Elan School on Number Five Road in Poland. Flames destroyed the former dining hall. The state is investigating the cause. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

The private school for troubled teens was opened in 1970 by Joseph Ricci, the former Scarborough Downs owner. It closed in April 2011 due to declining enrollment after several allegations and testimonies of abuse surfaced over the years.

Sun Journal staff photographer Russ Dillingham contributed to this report.

Joe Charpentier came to the Sun Journal in 2022 to cover crime and chaos. His previous experience was in a variety of rural Midcoast beats which included government, education, sports, economics and analysis,...