WEST GARDINER — Fire investigators say a young child set a fire that damaged a Skehan Lane home Friday.

Sgt. Joel Davis of the State Fire Marshal’s Office said investigators determined the fire inside the 12 Skehan Lane home was set by a young juvenile inside a closet.

Davis offered no additional details, including how the fire was set, but said charges are not expected in the case. The child may undergo fire safety training, Davis said.

A family of four escaped without injuries when the fire broke out around 8:30 a.m.

West Gardiner Fire Chief Chris McLaughlin said Friday that the mother and four children who share the home where the fire broke out were outside when firefighters arrived. A woman who lives in the other half of the duplex was still inside when firefighters arrived, and crews escorted her from the home.

The mother and children — whose ages couldn’t be determined — are staying with a family member, McLaughlin said.

“There was significant damage to one bedroom where the fire originated,” he said. “The contents of that bedroom are a complete loss.”

The woman who lives in the other half of the building was allowed to return to her home.

“In less than 10 minutes of the first arriving unit we had the fire completely out,” McLaughlin said. “The fire department did a great job of containing it to that one room. Most of the contents of the house were salvageable.”

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