The Newcastle, Bristol, and Damariscotta Fire Departments received a report of a potential structure fire on Standpipe Road in Damariscotta at approximately 9:11 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 24. A terminally ill man and two dogs were inside the house, multiple sources reported.
The fire was contained to the chimney and the resident and pets were safely evacuated from the building, Damariscotta Fire Chief John Roberts said. The homeowner, Cheryl Scavetta, credited the quick response of area firefighters.
“I just want you to know how very grateful I am to all of your men,” Scavetta told Roberts at the scene.
Scavetta said she had started a fire in the wood stove and then left the house to pick up a few items at the dollar store. She received a call from her tenant on the second floor, who is terminally ill, that the house was filling with smoke and the fire alarms were going off.
According to Mark Graham, with the Damariscotta Police Department, an unsecured door to the wood stove at 80 Standpipe Rd. caused the fire to flare and the house to fill with smoke.
The elderly tenant that lived in the house’s second-floor apartment was carried out of the house and transported to LincolnHealth – Miles Campus by the Central Lincoln County Ambulance Service. The man suffered no injuries related to the fire and was transported to the hospital as a precaution, multiple sources said.
Firefighters ran chains through the chimney of the house to knock down creosote and put out the fire, Roberts said.
Exhaust fans were used to clear the house of smoke. There was little to no damage due to smoke, Roberts said. A fire hydrant and hoses were prepared for use, but were not needed to put out the fire, Roberts said.
Power was cut to the building, which is standard procedure for structure fires, Roberts said. However, Scavetta was able to contact an electrician willing to come by within the hour to restore power, she said.
“They really went above and beyond,” Scavetta said of the Damariscotta, Bristol, and Newcastle Fire Departments. “They got here quickly and took care of the problem.”
The scene was cleared at approximately 10 a.m.
