WEST PARIS — A fire that ripped through a Maple Street scrap metal yard Monday has been ruled accidental, according to West Paris Fire Chief Norm St. Pierre. 

The fire was at West Paris Metals, owned by Ernie Yap.

Fire crews from at least 10 towns responded to the fire, which was reported about 3:30 p.m. Monday. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze in the section of the yard used to store junked vehicles. 

Sparks from an employee cutting a snowplow frame from a pickup truck ignited vehicles in the area, quickly turning into a conflagration, St. Pierre said. In all, 41 vehicles were torched in the fire, he said.

On Monday, Yap said normally two employees work together when cutting apart scrap cars, but only one was working on the vehicles when the fire started.

None of the vehicles had fuel in them, St. Pierre said. The explosions heard at the site were most likely tires popping or hydraulic lifts on the vehicles, he explained. 

Firefighters were on the scene until 9 p.m. making sure the fire was extinguished, St. Pierre said. His department used its entire stock of flame-suppressing foam, 40 gallons, he said. 

St. Pierre said there was no further investigation into the fire, but Maine Department of Environmental Protection, which reportedly responded to the scene, might still be probing the event. 

A spokesperson for Maine DEP could not be contacted Tuesday afternoon. 

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