Fire gutted a house at 232 Bunker Hill Road in Newcastle early Monday. The homeowner escaped, crediting his dog for waking him up. No one was hurt in the blaze.
Flames were clearly visible to firefighters as they approached the scene, according to Newcastle Fire Chief Clayton Huntley.
“We use the term a lot, but it was literally fully involved when we got here,” Huntley said.
Huntley said firefighting efforts were strictly defensive in nature, including efforts to cool down a couple of propane tanks near the structure.
Firefighters used the nearby boat landing on Damariscotta Lake as a water supply, according to Huntley.
Huntley said the cause of the fire is under investigation. The Maine fire marshal’s office is investigating to determine a cause.
Stan Brown, the homeowner, said he was asleep when the fire broke out, but his dog woke him up, allowing him to get outside.
Lincoln County Communications paged the Newcastle Fire Department shortly before 4:30 a.m.
Joining the Newcastle Fire Department at the scene were the Alna, Bristol, Damariscotta, Edgecomb, Jefferson and Wiscasset fire departments, as well as Central Maine Power Co.
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