RICHMOND — A fast moving fire sent a family of four fleeing from their Post Road home Sunday evening.

Richmond Fire Chief Andrew Pierce said Chad Clark and his wife, Laurisa Loon, along with the couple’s two young children, were at home when the fire broke out in a nearby garage and then spread to the family’s two-story house.

“It’s a total loss,” Pierce said.

No injuries were reported.

Firefighters were called to the fire at 7 Post Road around 10:30 p.m.

“We arrived and the garage was fully involved and a quarter of the (house),” Pierce said.

He quickly called for a second alarm and then a third, which brought in help from about 100 firefighters from six other communities, including Bowdoinham, Bowdoin, Litchfield, Dresden, Topsham and Gardiner.

“It was advancing quickly because of the wind,” Pierce said.

Firefighters had to scramble to save the Richmond Corner Baptist Church, which rests about 25 feet from the house.

“We called for additional units for protection of the church,” Pierce said. “It melted the whole back siding, but we saved it.” 

Firefighters worked until about 2:30 a.m., Monday, when they last of the crews left the scene.

Pierce said the fire started in a garage that was situated about five feet from the house. An investigator with the State Fire Marshal’s Office was at the scene Monday morning trying to determine how the fire started.

“He’s investigating, but it looks like it’s going to be undetermined,” Pierce said. “The garage is completely gone.

“There’s nothing suspicious.” 

Pierce said the home is insured. 

“The people that own the house went to her mother’s right in town,” he said.

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