HOULTON, Maine — A late night blaze on New Year’s day kept Houlton firefighters busy and resulted in a Houlton man and his mother losing their home.
Houlton Fire Chief Milton Cone said firefighters were called to the 192 B Road home of Daniel Hinchman at 9:42 p.m. and found the single-story home and attached three-car garage fully involved.
Cone said the fire is believed to have started in the garage, which had a wood stove.
“Mr. Hinchman told us he woke to the sound of smoke detectors going off and when he opened the door to his bedroom he found the kitchen area full of smoke,” Cone said. “He was able to look into the garage and saw flames rolling across the ceiling.”
Inside the garage were several vehicles, as well as propane, acetylene and oxygen tanks which were used for repairs. Cone said the presence of those tanks, coupled with high winds, made fighting the fire difficult.
“The wind was pushing the flames right into the house,” the chief said.
Hinchman and his mother Margaret were able to escape the burning building without injury, the chief said. The chief credited the working smoke detectors for saving their lives.
Because there are no hydrants located on the rural road, water had to be transported to the scene via tanker trucks. The Hodgdon and Littleton fire departments were called for mutual aid to provide additional tankers.
A total of 17 firefighters spent nearly five hours fighting the fire.
According to the property tax information on the town of Houlton website, the home and land has an assessed value of $178,300. The property, which was built in 2007, was insured, according to the fire chief. The occupants are staying with family members in the area.
