RANGELEY – Improperly disposed of ashes from a stove are the suspected cause of a fire that destroyed a residence on Skyland Drive this morning.
According to Rangeley Fire Chief Tim Pellerin, the owners and occupants of the two-story residence and attached garage, Rob and Carol Hunt, reported the fire early Thursday morning. Rangeley Fire Department received the call at 3:13 a.m. and was on the scene within nine minutes. They found the house fully engulfed, Pellerin said, with flames shooting from every window.
Mutual aid calls drew five other departments to the scene to join RFD: Eustis, Strong, Carrabassett Valley, Phillips and Salem. Crews were challenged by several factors, Pellerin noted, including the sub-zero weather that made it difficult to fight the blaze. Additionally, the residence was down a narrow driveway more than five miles from the nearest water source, forcing crews to shuttle water to the scene.
“Everyone did a good job,” Pellerin said, thanking mutual aid departments for sending crews and equipment.
No one was hurt in the course of fighting the fire, Pellerin said. Two dogs were saved, but a cat did die.
The combined value of the residence and the items within was estimated at $550,000, Pellerin said. The owners had insurance.
The fire was accidental, Pellerin said, with improperly disposed of wood ash considered the suspected cause. The homeowners had placed the ashes in a paper bag on the porch. Pellerin said that it was essential that disposed-of ash be placed in a non-flammable container well away from structures. Wood ash can remain hot for several days after it’s removed from the stove.
Firefighters are still at the scene, some eight hours later, as they work to remove hoses frozen to the ground.
“The homeowners had placed the ashes in a paper bag on the porch” — Are you kidding me? Oh, but they were out, just ashes. Please, please people learn from this! I’ve seen hot coals survive surrounded in gray ash for more than two weeks from the time they were put into the container (a metal barrel). A tough way to learn a lesson. Glad everyone OK, sorry for the cat.
Another thing given the season; they may not be sexy but fire extinguishers can make very practical gifts.
Friends had people who rented their place in NH & did the same thing – in a bag on the deck. Luckily they saw it in time. Also had people who put the bag in the back of a CAR when leaving! NOT the way to go. They have since installed a metal bucket for ashes