NEW VINEYARD – Homeowner Timothy Wilbur escaped uninjured from his burning house late Tuesday after smoke alarms went off and woke him up, fire Chief Doug Churchill said Wednesday.

The two-story older-style cape at 60 Church St., off Route 234, had flames shooting from some of its windows when firefighters arrived after the 11:43 p.m. fire call.

The house was gutted, Churchill said.

Wilbur had no insurance, he added.

The cause and where the fire started are undetermined, he said, but, “We suspect it was electrical.”

About 40 firefighters from New Vineyard, Farmington, New Portland, Strong and a tanker from Salem Township responded to help douse the fire.

Firefighters shuttled water about a half-mile from Mill Pond to the fire scene, he said.

“We had it under control in a total of 15 minutes. After that there was a lot of mopping up hot spots and cleanup,” Churchill said.

The American Red Cross was called in to help Wilbur, estimated to be in his mid-30s, the chief said.

After a stay in a hotel early Wednesday, he was expected to stay with family or friends after that, Churchill said.

This story was posted to www.sunjournal.com at 3:11 p.m. Wednesday.