DRESDEN — A local firefighter and his wife were left homeless Thanksgiving Day when their Middle Road house was leveled by fire.

Fire Chief Gerald Lilly said a couple of firefighters were treated for smoke inhalation, but nobody was seriously hurt in the fire at 1115 Middle Road, which also is called Route 127.

“Everybody’s fine,” Lilly said.

The home is owned by Lilly’s brother and sister-in-law, Albert and Rosemary Lilly. Albert Lilly serves on the Dresden Fire Department, Gerald Lilly said.

A total of six Lillys serve on the department, according to a roster posted on the department’s website, including Assistant Chief Steve Lilly and Captains Pean Lilly and Susan Lilly.

The two-story house is a total loss, Gerald Lilly said. He believes the home is insured.

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The fire was reported around 1 p.m. Nobody was home at the time, Gerald Lilly said.

“My assistant chief and I were the first ones to arrive,” Gerald Lilly said. “It was totally involved.”

Firefighters from Dresden, Woolwich, Wiscasset, West Bath, Richmond and Pittston spent about 30 minutes bringing the fire under control.

“There was nothing left to control,” Gerald Lilly said. Heavy equipment was eventually brought in to knock down the remnants and move the debris so crews could dose the smoldering remains with water.

Firefighters were called back to the scene this morning to douse a fire that flared up from the debris. Chief Lilly said firefighters were there for less than hour.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Gerald Lilly said. An investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s Office is expected to arrive today, but the fire is not considered suspicious.

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“We believe it’s the wood stove that started it,” Gerald Lilly said.

He said the American Red Cross was called Thursday to assist Albert and Rosemary Lilly.

Gerald Lilly said crews stayed focused on the job, even thoughthey were watching fire destroy the home of one of their own.

“You just do your job,” Gerald Lilly said. “That’s all you can do.”

Craig Crosby — 621-5642

ccrosby@centralmaine.com


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