A modular home in Lewiston was destroyed Thursday morning in a fire that involved multiple explosions of propane tanks on the property.

Firefighters were called to 120 No Name Pond Road at 7:44 a.m. by a neighbor who reported hearing the explosions and seeing the house on fire, said Lewiston Fire Capt. Wallace Veilleux.

Veilleux said firefighters could see darkened skies from the smoke as they approached, and that the building was completely engulfed in flames as they arrived.

The owner of the home, who lived there alone with his pets, told firefighters that he was jolted awake by the explosions and got out unharmed. At least two of his pet birds died in the fire, Veilleux said.

Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the blaze, and whether the propane tanks exploded first or whether the fire caused them to explode.

“I noticed at least five 20-pound cylinders. A minimum of two of them had blown,” Veilleux said of the propane tanks. He said he was unsure how the homeowner used the propane.

Firefighters struggled to get enough water to battle the fire, since there are no hydrants in the rural area. They used trucks to shuttle water to the scene. But even with a better water supply, the home would still have been destroyed, Veilleux said.

“There’s nothing that would have turned out any different. It was fully involved when we pulled up,” he said.

Veilleux said investigators from the state Fire Marshal’s Office and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives assisted at the scene, as well as firefighters from neighboring communities.

One investigator was injured after the fire was put out when his foot went through a section of a deck. He was taken to a hospital for examination.

The homeowner is staying with relatives in the area.

Scott Dolan can be contacted at 791-6304 or at:

sdolan@pressherald.com

Twitter: @scottddolan