This letter is in response to a recent article in the Sun Journal concerning a house fire in Rangeley. There was quite a bit of information unmentioned in this article.

My son and his girlfriend shared the apartment on the second floor of the house. The fire started from their woodstove. This stove was the only source of heat. They had loaded the stove around 11 p.m. and decided to go to bed, so they damped down the stove for the night.

Around 12:30 a.m. my phone rang. It was my son in a panic, choking and saying he had just called the fire department because the house was full of smoke and really hot. Thank the Lord, the smoke awoke them, as they had no smoke detector. They grabbed their cat; a laptop needed for school and the clothes on their backs and got out. They went downstairs to awaken the landlord and her children, who all got out safely.

The landlord’s house was not a total loss, due to the fire department’s quick response. My son and his girlfriend, as well as everyone in that house, are very fortunate to have survived this tragedy. My son has his health as well as two strong arms; he will recover. Unfortunately, there was no fire insurance to help them out. Our insurance is the people and friends we who have stepped forward to help. We have our family, friends and faith to be thankful for.

Bill Keirstead, Sandy River Plantation