A fire at 729 Middle Rd. in Dresden on May 7 has been classified an arson by the State Fire Marshal’s Office, according to Sgt. Ken Grimes.
Grimes said his organization is conducting an ongoing investigation with assistance from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, but was unable to release any details as to the cause of the fire.
No suspects have yet been identified in connection with the case, Grimes said.
The fire was spotted and reported by a neighbor and the page for fire departments went out at around 10:45 a.m.
By the time crews responded, the fire was mostly extinguished by a water pipe that burst due to heat and took about 20 minutes to put out completely, according to Richmond Fire Chief Matt Roberge.
The fire was the second fire to occur in the home within the last year, according to the homeowner Robert Armstrong.
The family had recently finished repairs after a fire in November caused around $10,000 in damage to the home, Armstrong said May 7.
Asked if the November fire was suspicious, Grimes said, “I checked our records and I don’t believe we investigated it.”
