Ashes from stove likely cause of fire

Photo: Chuck Blaquiere

DESTROYED — A fire on Maple Street in West Paris destroyed this home Sunday evening. Sergeant Joel Davis of the State Fire Marshall's Office Tuesday said the cause was most likely improper disposal of ashes from a wood pellet stove, outside the home. 

WEST PARIS — A single-family home and vehicle were destroyed Sunday evening in a fire that sent wind-driven embers onto adjacent buildings.

Sergeant Joel Davis of the State Fire Marshal's Office said Tuesday, the cause of the fire was most likely from improper disposal of ashes from the wood pellet stove inside the home at 38 Maple Street. 

"Everything points to being accidental," Davis said, shortly after investigators cleared the scene Tuesday.  

West Paris Fire Chief Norm St. Pierre said that the residence, owned by Ernie Yap, was fully involved as crews arrived at 5:07 p.m.

At that time, St. Pierre said, the wind started picking up, showering other buildings with embers and even igniting a fire on St. Pierre's truck a block away.

"I had to put it out with snow," St. Pierre said.

On Tuesday, St. Pierre confirmed that the ashes from the pellet stove were dumped inside a cardboard box and set right outside the back door, where the fire originated.

St. Pierre urges homeowners to clean their pellet stoves regularly with a metal pellet stove vacuum cleaner. 

Crews were sent to focus on wetting nearby buildings to prevent the fire from spreading, St. Pierre said. 

No one was home, and there were no injuries, according to St. Pierre. 

A neighbor, however, reported that a dog inside the home was unable to escape. 

The fire, which took three hours to put out, enlisted the help of fire departments from Paris, Norway, Oxford, Greenwood, Woodstock and Tri-Town Rescue, involving at least 45 volunteers. 

On Monday, St. Pierre said bags of wood pellets for the pellet stove in the living area of the home had rekindled around 11 p.m. Sunday, but the fire was put out within 15 minutes. 

"We had expected that," St. Pierre said. "We had people who were going to check it throughout the night." 

Photo: Chuck Blaquiere

LEVELED — A home at 38 Maple Street in West Paris burned to the ground Sunday after a fire ripped through the home around 5 p.m. According to West Paris Fire Chief Norm St. Pierre, bags of pellets for the pellet stove in the living area of the home rekindled around 11 p.m. Sunday, which took about 15 minutes to fully knock down.