STETSON, Maine — An electrical malfunction involving a washing machine motor was cited as the cause of a fire Monday afternoon that gutted a two-story house on Fir Road.
Though the exterior walls remained intact, the fire caused extensive damage to the inside and the house likely will have to be razed, Stetson Fire Chief Kim Tracy said Monday evening.
Tracy said the fire, which began around 3:30 p.m. at 6 Fir Road, was reported by the homeowners, Brian and Shannon Furrow.
Shannon Furrow was at home doing laundry when she saw smoke coming from the laundry room. She grabbed the couple’s young daughter and ran across the street to her husband, who called for the Fire Department, he said.
Tracy said the fire began when the motor at the rear of the Furrows’ washer overheated and caught fire, in turn igniting the wall behind it. From there, he said, the fire worked its way up the wall and into the ceiling and floor above it.
About 20 firefighters from Stetson and its automatic aid partner departments in Carmel, Levant and Hermon remained at the scene for almost three hours, he said. No injuries were reported.
Tracy said the house was insured. He said that the couple and their toddler are temporarily staying with Shannon Furrow’s mother, who lives next door. The Pine Tree Chapter of the American Red Cross has been called in to help the family meet immediate needs, he said.