A structure fire July 1 on Indian Hill Road in Boothbay claimed the lives of two Labradors and destroyed a two-story home according to Boothbay Fire Chief Richard Spofford.
The call for help came in at approximately 1:15 p.m. where crews arriving on the scene encountered a heavily involved blaze said Spofford. Mutual aid assistance was automatically activated to quell the fire in the heavily wooded section of Sawyers Island.
“Because there were two cars in the driveway, we initially thought the owners were home,” Spofford said.
An official from the Lincoln County Sheriffs Office was able to locate the homeowners, longtime residents Jack and Leona Nisbet, who were in Bath at the time.
An investigation by the Maine State Fire Marshall’s office determined the fire began in the kitchen either from a stove or microwave.
The fire is not considered suspicious, said Spofford, who added the house was a total loss.
“Thankfully the occupants were unharmed,” Spofford said. “Losing a pet can be devastating and from what I understand the two dogs were like children to the Nisbets.”
The couple is believed to have insurance and have made temporary arrangements for shelter, Spofford said.
Spofford said the firefighters had the blaze contained by 4 p.m.
Crews from Boothbay Harbor, Southport, Edgecomb, Wiscasset, Newcastle and Westport Island all participated in mutual aid assistance.
