DALLAS PLANTATION – The fifth major fire in Franklin County in less than two weeks struck and destroyed a large, two-story log cabin home at the end of a small narrow road Friday afternoon. The state’s Fire Marshal’s Office has ruled the fire “accidental” and that it probably started in the downstairs bathroom.
Alan Russell had left his home at 116 North Cottage Road, off Loon Lake Road, at about noon on Friday to return to his primary residence in Waterboro, said Rangeley Fire Chief Rudolph Davis. A neighbor spotted smoke coming from the residence built just 15 years ago.
“The gentleman called it in and tried the door but the knob was too hot to touch,” Davis said. “There was tremendous heat in the house.” Rangeley’s Fire Department was aided by Eustis and Phillips crews, with a total of 25 fire fighters responding.
When Davis arrived, there was fire in the area of the bathroom and heavy smoke and heat throughout the large two-story home. Shuttling water from five miles away at hydrants located in-town Rangeley proved difficult because the narrow road to the house allowed for only one vehicle on the road at one time. The house was “way out in the woods,” Davis said.
The fire was knocked down in the first hour, but crews spent many more hours on “mopping up,” he said. Investigator Ed Hastings of the state’s Fire Marshal’s Office was called because, “we hoped to find out what started it,” the chief said. Hastings concurred that the origin of the fire was the downstairs bathroom and ruled the fire as accidental. There was too much damage to the area of the bathroom to determine how it got started, but Davis said a guess would be something electrical in nature.
The house is still standing but was gutted and considered a complete loss. A garage nearby was not damaged.
Fires over the last 11 days in five Franklin County towns destroyed a New Vineyard home on Feb. 8, heavily damaged a Phillips farmhouse and another home in East Wilton the next day on Feb. 9. On Thursday, Feb. 17, three families lost their home to fire in Jay when an apartment building was destroyed. Two of the causes were linked to wood stoves, another was blamed on a candle and the apartment house fire to a child playing with a lighter.
It is sad when a fire is started by a two year old. Why do parents leave lighters and matches around when they know young children will play with them.. I thought lighters were supposed to be childproof but guess someone decided to change that. Hope the child gets help so he does not do it again. The parents need to pay more a attention to a child of that age. To bad that all those people lost all they owned because of carelessness.
I do agree that small children should be watched closer, but this is a different fire. If I am correct the fire that was started by the child was in Jay…. This one here was in the dallas plantation…
yes the fire that was started by the 2 year old was in jay. i know cause i lived on the 3rd floor and me and my kids lost everything. we have nothing. and the sad part is this isnt the first time the 2 year old has set something on fire. 3 weeks ago he set his bed on fire but they were able to put that out but not so lucky this time. it sad that we have to suffer because people cant watch their kids and keep lighters picked up. its said for the 3rd floor and 1st floor and the kids on the 2nd floor cause it really isnt the babys fault its the parents.