BELFAST, Maine — A mechanical problem involving a pickup truck that was being worked on was cited as the cause of a house fire Monday on Claires Way, a Belfast Fire Department official said.
Assistant Chief Robert Richards said the incident was reported as a vehicle fire, but the fire spread to the back of a house owned by Stephen Littlefield.
Littlefield’s nephew had been working on the pickup when it backfired and caught on fire, Richards said. Two rooms at the back of the house had significant fire damage, and the rest of the house had smoke and water damage.
Crews from Belfast, Belmont and Morrill had the fire extinguished in about 20 minutes, Richards said. He said that the house was insured and that Littlefield is staying with family members from the area.