GARDINER — Quick action by a mother and firefighters prevented a barn fire from spreading to an attached home Monday night.

The fire at 100 Central St. caused about $35,000 in damage but was contained to a barn and workshop area attached to the home, leaving the home undamaged. No one was hurt.

Fire Chief Michael Minkowsky said the occupant of the two-story home, Johanna Stickney, heard smoke detectors going off and went to the door of the attached barn to investigate. She saw smoke behind the door, closed it, grabbed her two young daughters, went outside and called 911.

“She did everything right,” Minkowsky said. “She grabbed her two daughters, left, called us and never went back in. Everybody is safe and sound.”

Minkowsky said firefighters were on the scene within four minutes and were able to put out the fire before it spread from the barn. He said they were also able to prevent damage to the barn’s structure, probably allowing it to be salvaged.

“It was an outstanding stop,” he said of the 9:48 p.m. fire, which drew firefighters from Gardiner, Farmingdale and Pittston. “It’s old balloon(-frame) construction, 80 to 100 years old, and really dry, so it had all the makings of a full structure fire; but they were able to keep it to the barn.”

Minkowsky said an investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s Office visited the scene Tuesday and determined the fire probably was caused by an accidental electrical problem, possibly related to a power tool in the workshop of the barn.

Firefighters were on the scene for about two hours.

Keith Edwards — 621-5647
kedwards@centralmaine.com

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