Fire destroyed a home Wednesday at 13 Green Road in East Madison, displacing the two residents. Two dogs escaped the blaze, but a cat was killed. Photo courtesy of Benjamin Waite
EAST MADISON — A fire Wednesday destroyed a rented house in East Madison and displaced the home’s two residents, officials said.
Firefighters responded at about 10 a.m. to 13 Green Road, off U.S. Route 201, according to Chief Don French of the Madison Fire Department.
French described the building as an old, one-story farmhouse.
The two residents, Benjamin Waite and Laurel Bushey, received assistance from the American Red Cross after the fire.
“They lost everything,” French said.
The Office of State Fire Marshal investigated the fire and ruled it accidental, French said. The cause was a problem with a wood stove.
Firefighters spent nearly five hours battling the blaze, which was complicated by the structure’s design, French said.
“It took quite a while because it had metal on the roof,” French said, adding that firefighters brought in an excavator to gain access to the house’s basement.
Firefighters from Anson, Athens, Madison, Norridgewock, Skowhegan, Solon and Starks responded to the blaze.
The Anson-Madison-Starks Ambulance Service also responded, although French reported no injuries.
The two residents did not have insurance, according to an online fundraising campaign begun by Katrina Waite, who confirmed by electronic message she is the mother of one of the residents.
The fundraising campaign describes Waite and Bushey as active in the community.
“Ben and Laurel have always given generously to people in need,” according to the online campaign, “and have often contributed to the community in any manner they could.”
The campaign said two dogs escaped the fire, but a cat was killed.
The campaign had raised more than $3,500 as of Thursday morning.
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