BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine — A Boothbay Harbor family lost their home and pets to a fire on Christmas night. The community responded by raising $25,000 to help the family rebuild.
A cat and two dogs died in the fire at 57 Lakeview Road, across from the Beach Cove Waterfront Inn and a short walk from the St. Andrews campus of LincolnHealth.
Boothbay Harbor Fire Chief Nick Upham said the fire originated in the area of a refrigerator and “could have been an electrical problem with the refrigerator” or the refrigerator’s power source.
A relative set up an online fundraiser at www.gofundme.com with the goal to raise $10,000 to offset the family’s immediate expenses of food, clothes and shelter. As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31, donations from 280 people totaled $25,651.
The funds will benefit homeowners and newlyweds Matt and Kate Rice and Matt Rice’s 11-year-old son, Sullivan. Matt and Kate Rice married Aug. 16. Their first child together is due in May.
Matt Rice works as a lobsterman and Kate Rice teaches pre-kindergarten at Boothbay Region Elementary School.
“On Christmas evening, Matt Rice returned home after a nearby holiday family gathering to find smoke billowing out of their home,” according to the fundraising site. “He frantically tried to save the two dogs and one cat but was forced out by blinding smoke.
“The firefighters did everything they could to save the home, but it was a total loss. Their beloved pets could not be saved,” the fundraising site states.
“Everything they lost is too overwhelming to comprehend,” according to the site. “Thank you for your compassion and caring toward this amazing family. Continue to hold Kate, Matt, Sullivan and baby Rice in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate the slow process of rebuilding their home.”
Lincoln County Communications paged the Boothbay Harbor Fire Department at 8:36 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 25.
The house was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, Upham said, adding that it took about 90 minutes to completely extinguish the blaze.
Upham said the home was destroyed.
The fire rekindled during the early-morning hours, and Lincoln County Communications again paged the Boothbay Harbor Fire Department at 4:41 a.m. Friday, Dec. 26. Firefighters quickly extinguished the secondary fire.
The Boothbay, Edgecomb, Newcastle and Southport fire departments assisted Boothbay Harbor at the scene.