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INDUSTRY — A wood stove is believed to have caused a Sunday night fire that destroyed the home of Carolyn and Edward Boyd on the Rand Road.

Ed Boyd, who was home alone and sleeping at the time the fire started, was told by the Fire Department that he is  “lucky to be alive,” his wife, Carolyn, said Monday.

Boyd cut the tip of one finger off and needed six stitches to the back of his leg after escaping through the bedroom window of their mobile home.

Although he uses a sleep apnea machine, he awoke when he heard the dogs barking and the smoke alarm in the living room, she said.

He had filled the wood stove and waited a little while before going to bed shortly after 7 p.m. while she drove into Farmington to pick up their two teenagers, Leigha, 16, and Sean, 15, at the cinema.  She was driving one of their friends home to Phillips when her mother called and said she needed to come home.

It is believed the fire started from the stove that was heating the home. The oil furnace wasn’t on, she said.

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After waking, Boyd opened their bedroom door to the living room about 8:40 p.m. and found it engulfed, she said.

“He hollered at the dogs. One came to him. He picked up the phone and dialed 911,” she said, and hurried to get out.

“He tried breaking the window with his fist first. When that didn’t work he broke the window with the butt end of a gun then climbed out the window and went down the side,” she said.

Just as he was ready to climb out, the lights went out. He couldn’t see the chocolate lab that came to him, she said. That dog and a lab-pit died in the fire. A cat escaped and was later found, she said.

The family lost everything in their 1970 mobile home, which had two additions. The home was insured, she said.

When members of Industry Fire Department arrived, the home was fully engulfed by fire, Chief Rick Tibbetts said.  Mutual aid from Madison, Anson, Farmington, Temple, Chesterville, New Sharon assisted.

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After leaving the home, Boyd went next door to the home of his in-laws, Rosemary and Percy Frazier, where the family is now staying.

Eventually they would like to rebuild but need to get through the shock of these first few days, Carolyn Boyd said.

The American Red Cross visited Monday morning and members of Farmington Baptist Church have started providing donations.

“I’m just thanking everyone who has helped, called or said prayers,” she said.

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