FARMINGTON – Firefighters from four departments battled a blaze at 374 Porter Hill Road in Farmington Tuesday afternoon.

Scott and Lynne Ferrari’s home was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived at the scene about 1:30 p.m. It took them about 45 minutes to get the fire under control, according to Farmington Fire Chief Terry Bell. In addition to those from Farmington, firefighters from Wilton, Temple and Strong responded.

Lynne Ferrari, a speech therapist in Jay, was home sick from work and had removed coal and ashes from the wood stove into a bucket. She left the bucket behind the house near a woodpile and went for a walk, said her husband, Scott Ferrari. When she returned she found their house ablaze, he said.

Ferrari, a carpenter who works for Craig Jordan, was leaning on an ATV with neighbors in a field across the road while he watched firefighters try to save his home.

His wife, meanwhile, was being treated by ambulance personnel for mild smoke inhalation. She had run back into the house to get some documents, according to Farmington police Officer Andrew Hufnagel, who was first on the scene. She was treated at the scene and released.

The family’s dog was rescued from the home, although it is unclear who rescued it. A cat is presumed to have perished inside.

The Ferraris have three children, two still living at home. The oldest attends the University of Maine, one goes to Mt. Blue High School, and the youngest attends Cascade Brook School. Nobody was home when the fire broke out.

Once the fire was doused, firefighters, neighbors and friends helped to load up trucks with whatever items were salvageable. A pickup truck drove off with wooden furniture, seemingly undamaged.

Bell said they estimated damages to be $220,000.

“It was pretty much a total loss,” he said.

Ferrari said he had just recently completed finishing the basement, and said the couple had insurance.

“I’m redoing the whole thing,” he said about the home. “I’m not going to piece it.”

He was philosophical about the situation, saying he was concerned that about his wife’s feelings of guilt.

“It’s all her fault, according to her. There’s nothing I can do about it, it was a mistake,” he said through tearful eyes.

“At least my wife is OK,” he said.