OTISFIELD – Fire reduced a North Tamworth Road home to rubble Wednesday and killed three dogs trapped inside.

A state fire marshal’s office investigator was at the scene Thursday at the home of Ronald Packard at 111 North Tamworth Road.

Otisfield Fire Chief Garry Dyer said Packard discovered the fire when he came home about 8:30 p.m. and found smoke coming out of the eaves.

When he opened the door, the force of the combustion as the fresh air fed the fire knocked him off his front steps, Dyer said.

Dyer, the first firefighter on the scene, said the house was engulfed in fire when he arrived. He said it was difficult for firefighters to drive the fire engines up the narrow dirt road and find places to park them.

Dyer said Packard had lived in the one-and-a-half-story Cape for about six or seven years. He did not have electrical power to his home, but had phone service, he said.

Dyer said the fire may have started in the kitchen. The wood stove was not going when the fire broke out, he said.

About 35 firefighters from Otisfield, Harrison and Casco responded to the fire. It took firefighters about three hours to knock it down and clear the scene, Dyer said.

Rescue workers from PACE Ambulance service also responded.