LEVANT, Maine — A fire that began because of an electrical malfunction Tuesday afternoon destroyed an unoccupied house on South Levant Road, according to Levant Fire Chief Eric Strout.
The fire at 279 South Levant Road began around 2:30 p.m., while the former homeowner’s son, who is the executor of his estate, was making several repairs to the building in anticipation of renting it out, Strout said.
“He had just checked the [circuit] breakers in the basement when he heard some popping noises upstairs,” Strout said.
When he went upstairs to investigate, he found an entire wall on fire, Strout said, adding the homeowner escaped uninjured through the Bilco doors in the basement.
Hermon firefighters arrived first, Strout said. They soon were joined by crews from Levant, Carmel, Stetson, Kenduskeag, Glenburn and Corinth, he said. The fire was brought under control within about half an hour.
Tuesday’s high temperatures and humidity — as well as the heat that built up inside the burning building — made conditions difficult for firefighters, Strout noted. He said firefighters were cycling in and out of the action in shorter than usual intervals to prevent heat exhaustion, but no injuries were reported.
An investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s Office determined the cause of the fire was electrical, the chief said.
Though the fire itself was contained to one room, the entire house had extensive smoke, heat and water damage. The attached 2½-story barn, which was being used for storage, was undamaged, Strout said.
Neither the former owner’s nor the son’s name was immediately available Tuesday evening.
Bangor Daily News writer Ryan McLaughlin contributed to this report.