STRONG – A second-floor bedroom in a 110-year-old farmhouse on Route 4 caught fire late Saturday afternoon, but a quick response from firefighters prevented the blaze from spreading.

Two teenagers inside the home of Ron and Gayle White got out safely on their own and reported the fire at 4:37 p.m. to a Franklin County dispatcher, Strong Fire Chief Scott Dyar said Saturday evening.

“That was the most important thing,” Dyar said. “Those kids in the house did exactly what their parents had taught them. They got out. They ran to a neighbor’s house and then called 911. Knowing that there wasn’t anyone inside made all the difference.”

There were no injuries, but the house, which was insured, sustained an estimated $30,000 to $40,000 in damage, Dyar said. He said he wasn’t going to contact the state fire marshal’s office because the cause was believed to be electrical, and the White’s insurance agency would handle it.

“It was accidental. It was nothing suspicious,” Dyar said.

Three minutes after being notified, Strong firefighters arrived at the White’s house, which is also known locally as the Brackley Farm. Other responding mutual-aid departments included Farmington, New Vineyard, Phillips, and Temple, along with NorthStar Ambulance.

“There was very heavy fire coming out of the building and we hit it with a very strong offensive attack inside and out. We got into it quick,” Dyar said.

By 4:55 p.m., they had the blaze knocked down and under control.

Traffic on Route 4 was diverted onto Route 149 for more than an hour while 40 firefighters handled the scene. Because there are no fire hydrants water had to be shuttled in from about half a mile away. Dyar said thermal imaging cameras from Strong and Farmington were used to locate hot spots during mop-up. The last crew left at 7:25 p.m.

Dyar wasn’t sure if the American Red Cross was contacted, but said, “Faith-based organizations are already helping out the family. We have a pretty good network of them.”