OXFORD – An early-morning fire ripped through a mobile home on King Street leaving its owner homeless and killing two of her four cats.

The fire, which started in an overloaded fuse box in the bathroom at 440 King St. about 2:20 Wednesday morning, was sparked by the use of three space heaters that were heating the home, said fire Capt. Sean Cordwell.

Cordwell said the homeowner, Carolyn Proctor, 62, was awakened by the heavy smoke and was able to escape her burning home. Two of her cats perished in the fire, but two others were rescued by firefighters, according to Proctor’s daughter, Jody Proctor of Norway. She praised firefighters for saving the two cats.

There were no smoke alarms in the home. “She was fortunate,” Cordwell said.

He added that a family member told him that space heaters were being used in lieu of the owner’s electrical baseboard heating system in order to save money. The family member said Proctor made the move after the owner read an advertisement on Central Maine Power Co.’s Web page that recommended the use of electric space heaters to supplement home heating systems.

“It is not our intent there to say people should turn their furnace off,” said CMP spokesman John Carroll. “You can use space heaters as a supplement to primary heating sources.”

Carroll said the CMP Web page has a list of safety tips, including one that states no one should leave a space heater unattended or leave a house or go to bed without turning off the heater. The intent of the recommendation to use space heaters is simply that money can be saved by turning down the thermostat and using space heaters where appropriate, Carroll said.

Because space heaters and home furnaces differ, Carroll said it is crucial that people using space heaters read and follow all manufacturer’s instructions – a safety tip that is also included on the CMP Web page.

“I hope other customers understand the importance of reading manufacturer’s instructions. We’re trying to be responsible,” Carroll said.

When reached at her home, Proctor’s daughter Jody declined to comment on what type of heating units were being used in the home at the time of the fire.

Cordwell said he was not aware of the CMP advertising but was concerned enough about it to look into it. “It could be cheaper to run space heaters but it could be more dangerous if not used correctly,” he said.

“People don’t understand the electrical draw they have,” said Cordwell of space heaters.

Modern mobile homes are typically constructed with at least 100 ampere electrical panels, said Randy Child, an employee at Twin Town Homes Inc. in Oxford. “Years back they had 60 amps. But I haven’t seen them for a long time.”

Cordwell said the Proctor home was constructed at least 30 years ago. Propane tanks were used for cooking, he said. All power sources were shut down once firefighters arrived at the fire.

Cordwell said Proctor is staying with her daughter. The home was insured, he said. The Red Cross has been called to assist Proctor and the state Fire Marshal’s Office has concurred with the Fire Department’s cause of fire, he said.

Firefighters from Mechanic Falls, Poland and Norway assisted at the fire.