Overnight fire destroys Paris home

Photo: Chuck Blaquiere

PARIS — An early-morning fire destroyed a home Thursday and sent three residents to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

According to Paris Fire Chief Brad Frost, the fire at 87 Durgin Road began around 2:30 p.m. The house was the rented home of Christopher and Mary Buckley and their two daughters, ages 15 and 17. The boyfriend of one of the girls was also in the home at the time of the fire.

All five escaped, but the two girls and the boy were taken to Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway for smoke inhalation, where they were treated and released. “One had asthma, so it kicked off her asthma pretty bad,” Frost said.

He said the Red Cross has been called to help the family, who lost everything they owned in the fire. “There was nothing salvaged,” he said.

The family is staying with an older son who has his own home. The fire happened on an especially cold night, when temperatures dipped down to 13 below zero and the wind chill made it feel even colder.

Frost said the homeowner, who lives in Oxford, has no insurance on the home.

The fire was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived, Frost said. Firefighters from the Paris, Oxford, Norway and West Paris departments required nearly an hour to get the fire under control and more than two hours to extinguish. Oxford Fire Rescue and PACE also responded, and Waterford, Harrison, Hebron and Buckfield firefighters were on hand to fill in for Norway and Paris firefighters if necessary.

The cause of the blaze is unknown. Frost said a Fire Marshal will be in town this afternoon to investigate the cause.