By Abigail W. Adams
Firefighters respond to a structure fire on Hilton Road in Whitefield Tuesday, Feb. 3. (Abigail Adams photo) |
Updated Feb. 5 10:50 a.m.
A historic house in Whitefield was consumed with flames as the Whitefield Fire Department battled the town’s second structure fire in seven days.
Fire departments from Alna, Chelsea, Damariscotta, Farmingdale, Jefferson, Nobleboro, Pittston, Somerville, Waldoboro, and Windsor joined Whitefield to combat a structure fire at 5 Hilton Rd. that broke out shortly after 4 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 3.
The end of Route 218 in Whitefield was closed to traffic until approximately midnight as fire engines and tankers positioned themselves along the road to battle the flames. Tankers shuttled water drawn from a pond near Whitefield Elementary School and from Coopers Mills Dam.
Damariscotta Fire Department reported to Whitefield to provide coverage for the station. They were called to the scene of the fire due to fire trucks on the scene freezing up in the cold, Damariscotta firefighters said.
“Everything started freezing up,” Whitefield Fire Chief Scott Higgins said. “Hoses, trucks, men. It was awful.”
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office personnel directed traffic. Delta Ambulance Service was also at the scene.
No individuals or firefighters were injured due to the fire, Lincoln County Emergency Management Director Tod Hartung said. Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Collamore, who directed traffic for approximately four hours, was treated at the scene for exhibiting signs of hypothermia, Hartung said.
The house, owned by Mark and Pam Fenderson, is well over 100 years old, neighbor Arthur Gould said. It was owned by George Hilton in the 1940s. The road is named after Hilton.
Fenderson’s father, Randy Fenderson, used to operate a popular lunch spot at the house, Fendy’s Lunch, Gould said. “It was always a great hangout place,” Gould said.
Fenderson is a farmer who bales hay, which is stored in his barn attached to the house, townspeople said. He also raises heifers, they said.
One resident was home when the fire broke out. The resident reported the fire and was able to evacuate the house safely, Higgins said.
No livestock were injured due to the fire, Higgins said, which were out in the field. Neighbors and friends were caring for the livestock, Higgins said. They put up a fence to keep them in the field and were providing them with hay and water.
The Fenderson’s lost two tractors in the fire, Higgins said.
A small excavator was called to the scene Tuesday evening to knock down part of the structure, Higgins said. Due to issues with freezing, firefighters left the scene at approximately midnight, Higgins said.
The fire was well contained but not completely out at that point, Higgins said.
Whitefield Fire Department was paged back to 5 Hilton Rd. at 12:35 a.m. and 4:10 a.m. due to hay piles that had rekindled, Higgins said.
A larger excavator was called to the scene Wednesday to tear down the remaining structure and ensure the fire was out in its entirety. The scene was not completely cleared until approximately 4 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 4, Higgins said.
The fire was ruled accidental, Sgt. Ken Grimes with the Fire Marshal’s Office said. A resident was thawing pipes in the ell that connected the barn to the house with a torch, Grimes said. The resident left the area and the fire broke out a short time later, Grimes said.
The fire at 5 Hilton Rd. was the fourth structure fire in Lincoln County within a week. On Sunday, Feb. 1, a Somerville family lost their house, barn, and at least nine animals in a structure fire at 85 Patricktown Road in Somerville.
On Monday, Feb. 2, a new house was destroyed in a structure fire at 313 Rockland Road in Jefferson.
On Tuesday, Jan. 27, 11 individuals were displaced due to a structure fire at 452 Mills Road in Whitefield.
“Everyone’s exhausted,” Higgins said. “Thank god for mutual aid.”
