PARIS – Fire destroyed the home of Lisa Martin at 5 Lord’s Lane Wednesday morning.

No one was hurt, but Martin’s rabbit perished in the quick-moving fire, which originated in the basement and was believed to be electrical in origin.

Paris Fire Chief Brad Frost said a state fire marshal will investigate to confirm his belief that faulty wiring caused the fire, which was reported at 10:21 a.m.

Martin’s home is tucked at the end of a short side street off Pine Street behind the Ripley & Fletcher’s car dealership. She and her daughter Lacy and their dog were returning home from an outing with a friend when they realized their home was on fire.

“I worked so hard to buy that home. I painted it myself. You should see my gardens out back,” said a tearful Martin, as she was comforted by relatives and friends.

Martin said she suspected that the dryer in the basement had caused the fire, but Frost did not agree.

Frost said the home was older and probably did not have fire stops in the walls, allowing the flames to spread quickly up to the roof line. About 30 firefighters from Paris, Norway and Oxford fought the blaze. A hose was trained through a second floor window while a hole was cut in the roof to vent the flames.

Once the fire was vented, the flames shot high and hot for several tense minutes until firefighters went inside with Scott air packs and were able to contain the blaze by 11 a.m.

Frost said that between the smoke, water and fire damage, the house was a total loss. Martin said she did have insurance on the home, which she bought five years ago.

The West Paris Fire Department provided coverage at the Paris Fire Station, while the Waterford Fire Department covered for Norway.

Frost said that since the home was nestled near trees and not far from two other dwellings, there was concern of the fire spreading.

“It was a successful knock-down,” he said.

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