LITTLETON, Maine — A family of five was left homeless Friday after an early morning fire destroyed their 90-year-old farmhouse.
Littleton Fire Chief Dwight Cowperthwaite said the home of Timothy and Pamela Cummings burned to the ground Friday morning after firefighters were unable to save the three-story farmhouse located on 604 Framingham Road. The farmhouse was also known as the former Anderson homestead.
“At one time, that home was a showplace,” Cowperthwaite said.
The fire was first reported at 4:31 p.m. Thursday by the homeowners, Cowperthwaite said. Firefighters responded to what they believed to be a chimney fire, only to discover it had progressed to a structure fire. The house contained three chimneys, with the source of the fire stemming from the chimney located in the garage portion of the home.
“The fire went out through the sill and burned along the outside of the chimney,” Cowperthwaite said.
By 6 p.m., firefighters believed they had successfully extinguished the flames and the majority of the firefighters were dismissed from the scene. Cowperthwaite said a crew was left behind, with a thermal imaging camera, to search for any flare-ups.
“They called me at 9:30 p.m. and said nothing had shown up (on the camera),” he said. “A border patrol agent stopped by at 2:30 a.m. and everything looked good.”
By 5:45 a.m. that morning, however, flames broke out a second time and the upper level was fully engulfed.
“Less than an hour later, the building was gone,” he said. “I just couldn’t believe it.”
The Cummings’ two children attend Wellington Elementary School, which has taken the lead in fundraising for the family. According to Principal Cindy Peterson, monetary donations, gift cards and gas cards are currently being sought. A benefit supper is also in the works.
The family is currently residing at the Shiretown Motor Inn, traveling to Monticello each day to drop the children off at school, she said. Donations can be mailed to Wellington Elementary School, care of Peterson, at P.O. Box 129, Monticello, ME, 04760.
The Houlton and Monticello fire departments provide mutual aid. The building was insured, Cowperthwaite said Monday.
