
Firefighters from Richmond and other communities battle a fire Tuesday afternoon at 442 Main St., also known as Route 197, in Richmond. Fifteen pets died in the fire, whose cause has been listed as undetermined, officials say. Keith Edwards/Kennebec Journal
RICHMOND — Fifteen pets died in a house fire Tuesday afternoon on Main Street in Richmond, officials said.
Members of the Richmond Fire Department responded to 442 Main St., also known as Route 197, at 1:59 p.m., according to an announcement from the department.
When firefighters arrived, smoke was coming from all sides of the single-family home, according to the announcement.
Fire crews were still battling the blaze at 3 p.m.
The fire reignited at 4 a.m. Wednesday, and crews were able to extinguish the flames in about 20 minutes, officials said.
One boy was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, according to the announcement.
Thirteen dogs and two cats were killed in the fire, Shannon Moss, the spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said.
Due to the extensive damage and multiple possible causes of the fire, the Office of State Fire Marshal has listed the cause as undetermined, Moss said.
The Richmond Fire Department received mutual aid from Bowdoinham Fire & Rescue, Bowdoin Fire & Rescue, Woolwich Fire/Rescue, Topsham Fire & Rescue and the Litchfield, Dresden, Gardiner and Wiscasset fire departments, Moss said.
The Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office, the Maine State Police, the Office of State Fire Marshal, Richmond Public Works, the Salvation Army Bath-Brunswick Corps, the American Red Cross and the Sagadahoc County Emergency Management Agency also responded to the blaze.
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