Members of a bucket brigade work on extinguishing the flames of the Waldo Street fire in Rumford on August 2, 1923.

The fire was first discovered at 5:10 p.m. by the Majestic Theater’s stage carpenter, Eli Roy. With the help of the Lewiston and Auburn fire department, the flames were put out by 11:00 p.m., but not before significant loss to the town.

Prior to the fire, Waldo Street had been a bustling residential and secondary business district. The blaze resulted in the loss of three restaurants, 12 stores, a garage, a bakery, three barber shops, the Majestic Theater, three pool halls, a 30-bed rooming house, a harness shop, sheds and storerooms, and at least 77 tenements.