A fire Monday night on Browns Corner Road in Canaan is the third fire in less than three weeks to destroy a home in this small Somerset County town.

There were no injuries reported.

The fire at 289 Browns Corner Road destroyed a mobile home, said Canaan Fire Chief Troy Bowden. The fire was reported just before 9 p.m. and the cause remains under investigation.

Bowden said so far none of them is considered suspicious.

A family of five lost its home to a fire on Main Street on Sept. 6 and another mobile home was destroyed in a fire on Maple Lane on Sept. 13.

“It’s unusual this time of year,” Bowden said. “It’s not quite wood stove season yet. We’re not into the heating season yet.”

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The fires have also taken a toll on the volunteer Canaan Fire Department, which has 24 members.

“You lose a whole night sleep. My guys are volunteers, they have to go to their regular jobs the next day so, you know, it takes a week to catch up on your sleep. By the time you start feeling better it starts all over again,” Bowden said. “It takes a toll on the guys. It takes a toll on the equipment too.”

Firefighters from Hartland, Skowhegan and St. Albans also responded to the fire.

Bowden would not release the name of the Browns Corner Road homeowner early Tuesday afternoon. Property tax records show it belongs to Jennifer Getchell.

The Office of the Maine State Fire Marshal was at the scene Tuesday morning and is investigating the cause.

Bowden said he was not sure whether the fire marshal investigators considered the fire suspicious.

He said he believes the homeowner has insurance.


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