A fire was quickly put out in an apartment building in Caribou. On Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 12:22 a.m., the Caribou Fire and Ambulance Department was dispatched to a fire alarm at Hilltop Apartments, located at 19 Marshall Avenue in Caribou. According to the Caribou Fire Department, while crews were responding, multiple 911 calls were received from tenants reporting smoke and fire in a hallway.

Initial crews arrived to find smoke conditions in one wing of the building and an activated sprinkler head. A partial evacuation was already underway, and firefighters immediately completed evacuation of the remaining residents. The fire was determined to be out prior to fire department arrival due to the sprinkler activation and the quick actions of a resident who used a fire extinguisher. The source of the fire was identified as a malfunctioned battery powered string lights device, located in a decorative item in the hallway.

A total of 36 residents were displaced from their apartments. The Caribou Fire Department says the area of origin sustained extensive water damage as a result of the sprinkler activation. RSU 39 provided a heated school bus for affected residents to remain warm during below-zero temperatures until fire department operations were completed.

The Caribou Fire Department says properly working smoke detectors and sprinkler systems played a critical role in preventing the fire from spreading beyond its area of origin.

Assistance was provided by the Caribou Police Department, the Caribou School Department and the Presque Isle Fire Department for providing station coverage during the incident.