HOLLIS — Two firefighters sustained injuries in a fire that destroyed an old farmhouse at 310 Cape Road, also known as Route 117, Wednesday afternoon.
One firefighter was taken to the hospital with a foot injury. A second firefighter was treated and released from the hospital, according to Deputy Fire Chief Roger Hicks, but his injury was not known this morning.
The occupants of the old Cape Cod-style house escaped unharmed, though a family pet is thought to have been lost in the fire. A separate 12-stall barn on the 22-acre property, where horses are kept, was spared.
The home was destroyed, and the American Red Cross of Maine is assisting the displaced family.
Firefighters from several surrounding communities fought the blaze, ferrying water to the scene because there is no nearby hydrant. And, Hicks said, thanks go out to Poland Spring, which operates a bottling plant in Hollis. Hicks said a company tanker truck was driving by as firefighters were battling the blaze and was able to provide 7,000 gallons of water to the effort.
He said firefighters were on the scene until about 11 p.m.
Fighting the fire was difficult; because of cold temperatures, firefighters had to be rotated more frequently than is usually the case, said Hicks, who worked on the scene.
Firefighters were called to the scene at about 4:15 p.m., for a problem with a pellet stove. When they arrived, the home was ablaze.
The Maine Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating.
Assisting Hollis Fire Department were firefighters from Alfred, Buxton, Goodwin’s Mills, Limerick, Limington, Standish and Waterboro departments.
Town records show the property is owned by Marc and Margaret C. Tardif.
The property has been listed for sale. According to a description on the real estate agent’s website, the four-bedroom Cape Cod-style home was built in 1820.
— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.
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