Gusting winds fanned a fire that destroyed a residence at 219 Bayview Rd. in Nobleboro Jan. 10.
According to Nobleboro Fire Chief Ryan Gallagher, the fire started in and around the laundry room and quickly spread to the rest of the house.
At the time, the house was occupied by tenant Stephanie Lafrenaye and her toddler daughter. Both got outside to safety and Lafrenaye made the call to 911 for help. Three dogs also escaped the blaze.
Bayview Road was closed for three hours while firefighters subdued the blaze.
Gallagher said the ranch-style dwelling was home to Stephanie and Jason Lafrenaye and their five children, ages 2½ to 17. He said he did not believe the family had renters’ insurance to cover the value of their property, or that the landlord had insurance for the dwelling. Gallagher said the town has assessed the property at $146,000.
According to Sgt. Ken Grimes of the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the fire was accidental and appears to have been caused by a malfunction in a propane gas dryer. Grimes said it is unusual for a rental home to be uninsured, at least for fire.
Gallagher said the fire may have spread through collected lint in the dryer vent hose.
“It gathers behind dryers in both electric and gas dryers where the lint trap is,” Gallagher said. He said the vent tube in a typical dryer goes past the electrical connection and the dryer motor and lint collects in ducts and at the backdraft flap where the vent exits a building.
“It doesn’t take much for a fire to get going there,” he said. “Once it goes, it goes quickly.”
Even when the house is occupied, a fire can spread very rapidly, Gallagher said. He cautioned against leaving a dryer running when there are no adults in the house. In the case of the Jan. 10 fire, an adult was present, and neither Gallagher nor Grimes had any knowledge of the condition of the vent pipe.
Fire departments from Newcastle, Nobleboro, Damariscotta and Bristol responded to the blaze, as did Central Lincoln County Ambulance and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office personnel. The Bremen and Waldoboro fire departments were on standby to provide station coverage.
The Animal House in Damariscotta has created a fund to assist in caring for the dogs. Purchases made on behalf of the Lafrenayes will be discounted and items can be left at the store for delivery.
According to the Facebook page, an account has been opened at the Newcastle branch of The Bank of Maine on behalf of the stricken family.
A spaghetti supper and silent auction fundraiser is scheduled for 5-6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 26 at the Nobleboro Central School. Ticket prices are $5 for adults and $3 for children 10 and under. For more information about this event call the school at 563-3437.
For more information about donating to the Lafrenaye family, visit the website at facebook.com and search for Support for the Lafrenaye Family.
