Firefighters install a large fan to ventilate a smoke-filled home at 32 Patricia Drive in Topsham Tuesday after a kitchen fire. (Darcie Moore / The Times Record)

TOPSHAM – Firefighters quickly doused a kitchen fire reported at around 11:40 a.m. Tuesday at 32 Patricia Drive in Topsham. 

Topsham Fire Chief Christopher McLaughlin said a resident was cooking lunch when the fire broke out in the area around the stove and refrigerator. 

“We were able to contain the fire to the kitchen itself,” he said. “We didn’t see any extension into the attic or adjacent rooms.” 

There is minor smoke damage and water damage to the kitchen and some in the basement, “but all in all we were able to save most of their bedrooms and most of their belongings,” the chief said. 

McLaughlin believes either an appliance malfunction or human error caused the fire, but said he is still investigating the cause. 

The house belongs to Nickole Leveille and is insured.  

Chris Zawatski also lives at the home and said he was in the basement watching television when the fire broke out. His daughter was cooking meatballs in the kitchen before she yelled to him downstairs. The stove was ablaze and he, his daughter and 1-year-old granddaughter got out safely. 

 dmoore@timesrecord.com

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