SCARBOROUGH — Firefighters on May 15 responded to a fire that did significant damage to a home at 2 Beaver Brook Road.

The blaze was reported mid-morning at the corner of Beaver Brook and Lobos roads. No one was home at the time, and no injuries were reported.

On Wednesday, May 20, the cause of the fire had still not been determined, according to Capt. Jim Butler, who is also the town’s commercial code enforcement officer and fire inspector. 

“We investigated with the state fire marshall’s office, and at this point in time, the fire is still under investigation and it’s cause is still undetermined,” Butler said. 

The fire originated near one of three propane tanks behind the house, Butler said. 

“It’s definitely looking accidental,” he said, “but what sparked it is still in question.”

Butler said the Fire Department expected to receive a report from the state fire marshall’s office sometime this week.

According to town assessing records, the home is owned by Martin and Kimberly Geesaman. The house was valued at $417,000, and sat on nearly 1.9 acres of land with a total value of nearly $552,000. Next-door neighbor Phil Curtis said the Geesasmans have two children and three dogs. 

Curtis said he smelled burning plastic around 9:30 a.m., and saw flames coming from the roof of his neighbor’s home. He ran over to see if anyone was in the house.

Poised to enter the side door, he said as firefighters doused the burning home, “I thought I heard the dog scratching, but it was the cracking of the roof.”

Curtis entered and saw a haze of smoke, but no flames. He said he found no one and no dogs, and found out later that other neighbors had already retrieved two of the pets, and the third had gone to work with Martin.

Curtis thought about trying to save belongings, but ultimately decided against it.

“I didn’t know if I should try to grab the computer or what,” he said.

Curtis said he didn’t know what caused the fire, but believed the Geesamans had started the process of heating their pool that morning. 

The house was built at least eight years ago, he said, and the Geesamans have lived there for three. 

The fire had burned through most of the roof by 11:30 a.m. when firefighters ascended their ladder to douse the inside of the house from above.

Firefighters from Saco, Biddeford, Gorham, Buxton and Westbrook helped fight the flames. Water had to be trucked in because of a lack of hydrants nearby. 

“The house is totally gone now,” Curtis said. “They might be able to save the first floor. It’s a tragedy.”

Alex Acquisto can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 106 or aacquisto@theforecaster.net. Follow Alex on Twitter: @AcquistoA. 

Sidebar Elements

---

Firefighters worked past noon on Friday, May 15, to put out a house fire that erupted during the morning at 2 Beaver Brook Road, Scarborough.