BOWDOIN

A Bowdoin family’s garage was leveled by an afternoon fire that destroyed an antique Volkswagen Beetle.

The garage at 77 Roberts Road belongs to Paul and Melody Babbidge. The fire was reported at 3:12 p.m.

Melody Babbidge was at the grocery store when she got a call from her daughter that the two-story garage was on fire. 

Her husband is a land surveyor and lost all of his survey records. She had her wedding dress, her bouquet, wedding knife and cups along with her children’s baby things where were stored overhead in the garage. The 1975 Volswagen she has had for 20 years was in the garage and is gone now too.

The house was shut up because the air conditioner was on inside and kept the smoke out, Babbidge said, though one of the picture windows was left with a spider web of cracks and will need to be replaced. Some of the siding on the house nearest the garage melted. Her husband’s Subaru parked near the garage was destroyed as was an older Volvo on the other side of the garage. A pool behind the structure melted as well. 

Babbidge’s two daughters, son and daughters’ boyfriend where home when the fire broke out. 

Her daughter, Gracia Babbidge, was getting ready for work when she heard her sister say something’s burning in the garage and dialed 911, as did neighbors. The garage all of a sudden went up in flames and burned really fast, she said. 

Gracia Babbidge said no one had been in the garage today. Her bedroom is in the bedroom located behind the garage that also nearly caught fire. Her cat was hiding somewhere.

Melody Babbidge said she has insurance on the buildings.

Bowdoin, Lisbon, Topsham, Bowdoinham and Richmond fire department personnel were among crews on scene this afternoon working to extinguish the flames. State fire marshal investigators were on scene as well. 

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