NEWRY – A Timberline Drive house was destroyed by fire Saturday morning while renters were out skiing, Assistant Fire Chief Bruce Pierce said.

A neighbor called firefighters just before 10 in the morning to report the blaze. No people or animals were inside the property when it caught fire, and no one was injured, Pierce said.

It took firefighters from Newry, Bethel, Greenwood, Woodstock, Andover and Mexico over two hours to get the fire under control, he said. “It was pretty windy – very gusty – which didn’t help fight the fire,” he said.

The top floor of the house was more damaged than the first floor and basement, he said, but added that it was a probable loss for the homeowners, who live in Virginia. Pierce declined to identify them Saturday.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation with the Fire Marshall’s office, Pierce said.