PHILLIPS — A house at 191 Weld Road was heavily damaged Thursday, with a portion of the roof collapsing after a fire broke out just before 9 p.m., interim Fire Chief Sean Allen said Friday.
A second fire reported at 3:45 p.m. earlier in the day damaged a porch at a residence at 25 Dodge Road.
The Weld Road fire, also known as state Route 142, was initially called in as smoke in the single-story, wood-framed house, Allen said.
It was reported that heat tape around pipes was smoldering.
Allen said that when he arrived heavy smoke and flames were showing on the back side of the house and the electrical line to the house was arcing.
A hose was run to the back of the home when a fire truck arrived.
It was an exterior, defensive fire at first until the power was shut off to the home. Firefighters were able to enter the house with air packs after that.
“One of the biggest concerns was water. Trucks had to shuttle water from a hydrant about 3 miles away at the intersection of Blake Hill Road and Rangeley Road, also known as state Route 4,” Allen said.
About 35 firefighters from Phillips, Weld, Rangeley, Kingfield, Carthage, Farmington, Strong, Wilton, New Vineyard, Temple, Carrabassett Valley and New Portland responded to fight the blaze.
The owner, David Saunders, was home but got out with his dog and cat unharmed, Allen said.
The Phillips Public Works Department was called out to sand a portion of Weld Road that had frozen over with about one-quarter inch of water used to put the fire out. The department also sanded around the hydrant area.
The house was heavily damaged. Allen said he called the American Red Cross to assist Saunders. He had gone to stay somewhere else for the night. A firefighter crew remained on scene until about 1:30 a.m. Friday.
The house was still standing but gutted and uninhabitable, Allen said.
The fire on Dodge Road was started by an improperly discarded cigarette that ignited a fire in the grass and then spread to the side porch, Allen said.
There was charring on the outside of the porch and lattice work on the bottom.
Owner Jesse Longley was home and escaped uninjured.
About 11 firefighters from Phillips, Strong and Kingfield responded while mutual aid from Farmington, Rangeley and Weld were canceled in route.
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