In the midst of the blizzard on Jan. 12, Jefferson Fire and Rescue responded to a house fire at 840 S. Clary Rd. at around 11:45 a.m.
“Engine 2, which operates out of the south Jefferson fire station, was on scene in about five minutes,” said Jefferson Fire Chief Wally Morris.
Despite the rapid response, the home, rented by 61-year-old John Stevens, was “pretty much totaled,” Morris said. The rooms that were saved suffered heavy heat, smoke and water damage.
No one was injured in the fire.
The damage was too severe for the Fire Marshal’s Office to determine an exact cause, but Morris said it started in a section of house containing a wood-burning furnace and a wood stove. The furnace was not in use at the time, but Stevens told Morris he had a “pretty good fire going in the wood stove,” Morris said.
It is also possible that the fire was electrical, as Stevens reported lights flickering in the morning before the fire, Morris said.
The Fire Marshal’s Office has completed their investigation and the fire is not considered suspicious, Morris said.
Newcastle, Alna and Whitefield also responded to the scene, as well as technicians from Central Maine Power, who were called in to shut off power to the residence after the main service line to the house went down.
Jefferson fire fighters cleared the scene at around 3:30 p.m.
