ANDOVER – Strong winds spread flames coming from a snowmobile into a sugar shack Wednesday afternoon, destroying the building, sugaring equipment, three snowmobiles and a dirt bike.

The wood-framed sugar shack owned by Ed and Diana Witt of Sawyer Notch Road was attached to a two-bay barn. Both buildings were detached from the couple’s nearby home. The barn rafters were also damaged.

Andover Fire Chief Ken Dixon estimated the loss at about $30,000.

Eddie Witt, the couple’s 16-year-old son, was working on a snowmobile in front of the sugar shack when the machine caught fire. He tried to put out the flames with a fire extinguisher, but the wind pushed flames into the nearby building. Eddie was not hurt.

About two dozen firefighters from Andover and Rumford responded to the midafternoon call.

Diana Witt said the sugar shack was built onto the barn a year or two ago. The farm, known as Windy Pines Tree Farm, produces a small amount of maple syrup annually, used mostly by the family. She said the buildings were covered by insurance. No animals lived in the barn.

About a dozen Rumford firefighters with two pumper/tankers drew water from nearby Sawyer Brook, which Andover firefighters used to fight the flames. Med-Care Ambulance Service also stood by.

No injuries were reported.

The scene was cleared about 5:30 p.m.