Firefighters say minutes were the difference between life and death.
By Carol Coultas
Staff Writer

LEWISTON – A fast-acting neighbor helped rescue three children from their smoke-filled bedrooms as a fire destroyed an attached barn at the family’s Pond Road home.

“They’re very, very lucky,” said Fire Capt. Tim Myers of the rescue.

The father of the children, Robert Moon Jr., said firefighters told him if another five minutes had passed before the children were removed, there would have been fatalities.

“It was a very close call,” said Moon. “If Clayton hadn’t shown up when he did, I wouldn’t have a family now.”

The neighbor, Clayton Larochelle, saw the fire as he drove by the home at 366 Pond Road just after midnight Saturday.

Moon was sleeping on a downstairs sofa while the children slept in two bedrooms near the renovated barn where the fire started.

Unable to open a door, Larochelle kicked one in while dialing the fire department on his cell phone.

“He burst in and said ‘Your house is on fire. Grab the babies’,” said Moon.

Moon and Larochelle took the two oldest children, Samantha, 6, and Brett, 3, from their smoke-filled room and then Moon went to another bedroom to get his 2-year-old son, Bryce.

“He was pointing at the door saying ”moke, ‘moke,” said Moon.

Everyone got out of the house safely. The children’s mother, Trisha Lebeda, was working at Central Maine Medical Center when she got the call to come home, her house was on fire.

“I don’t even remember leaving work and driving there,” she said. “I just couldn’t believe it.”

The fire began in the barn and traveled along the rafters above the children’s bedrooms. Fire officials said it looks like the blaze started when a piece of furniture pinched an extension cord causing it to overheat. Moon said he has smoke detectors in the house, but not the barn.

Four hours after the fire started, firefighters were still dousing hot spots. The barn section is completely gutted and there’s smoke and water damage to other parts of the home. Firefighters estimated the damage at $85,000.

Moon, a contractor, said the family plans to rebuild. An insurance adjuster is expected at the property Monday. Meanwhile, he and Lebeda are staying at the Ramada Inn, buying clothes for the family and counting their blessings.

“It was so scary,” said Moon., “I hate to think what would have happened if Clayton hadn’t driven by. He’s just a great guy.”

Lebeda offered her own description.

“He’s a hero.”