FALMOUTH — A local family lost their home and most of their personal belongings after an early morning fire today destroyed their residence on Highland Lake.
Fire Chief Howard Rice Jr. said Jan and William Bennett, who own the home, escaped safely with two other occupants and a dog after they were awakened by the sound of smoke detectors.
The two-alarm fire, which was reported at 3:13 a.m., brought fire crews from Falmouth, Windham, Westbrook and Cumberland to the home at 40 Lowell Farm Road.
Rice said firefighters fought the fire in freezing conditions that reached six degrees below zero. Several firefighers slipped and fell, but no serious injuries were reported.
Because the year-round home, which was converted in the 1970s from a camp, is on a gravel road overlooking the lake, the fire crews were forced to lay down a 3,000-foot-long water line from the house back to a Mast Road fire hydrant on the Westbrook border.
The State Fire Marshall’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire, which appears to have started near the chimney.
Rice said he thought the family was staying with relatives.
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