Fire levels Norway homestead

Flames engulf the garage and home of Ed and Julie Daye at 106 Watson Road in Norway on Wednesday afternoon. Jon Bolduc/Sun Journal

NORWAY — A Norway couple lost their home, garage and belongings, including a vehicle collection in a three-alarm fire at 106 Watson Road on Wednesday afternoon, Fire Chief Dennis Yates said.

Owners Ed and Julie Daye were taken to Stephens Memorial Hospital where they were treated for smoke inhalation, Yates said.

Firefighters from 11 towns responded to the blaze which started in a two-tier garage under the two-story house, the chief said. Ed Daye, who was working a vehicle about 2:30 p.m. when flames erupted. He attempted to put out the fire, but due to the amount of flammable materials and liquids he was unsuccessful.

The fire quickly spread to the house and large garage, which also contained two tiers of vehicles. There were a total of 11 vehicles, Yates said.

In his 46 years as a firefighter, the chief said, ” I’ve never seen a fire go up that quick.”

“They had a lot of oil, gas, tires,” he said.

When he arrived at the scene on top of a hill overlooking Hobbs Pond, Yates said, black smoke was billowing from the buildings, which covered an area about 100 by 40 feet.

When firefighters made entry into the garage under the house they were driven back by 800 degree temps.

“I could tell from the smoke that this was not going to go well. I called my own operations chief and said ‘get everyone out of there.'”

“I mean, it was hot,” Yates said. “It actually cracked a window in our tower truck” which had been moved away from the house after firefighters vented the roof.

One Norway firefighter suffered a burn on his leg, another suffered heat exhaustion, and a third from Bridgton also suffered heat exhaustion, Yates said. All were released from care Wednesday afternoon.

Yates said he didn’t know if the vehicles were insured, but the home, a former farmhouse, was. He didn’t have an estimate on the damage.

One vehicle and Daye’s tractor were saved, he said.

The couple were being helped by their daughter, the chief said.

Firefighters from Norway, Paris, Stoneham, Waterford, West Paris, Woodstock, Oxford, Otisfield, Poland, Minot and Bridgton responded to the fire.

Copy editor Mary Delamater contributed to this story.

There was a big fire in Norway Maine today. Big enough the smoke showed up on radar. pic.twitter.com/gPwe5rwC2J

— Charlie Lopresti (@CharlieWGME) March 18, 2020