FARMINGTON — The Smiley family is hoping to rebuild their sawmill, equipment and outbuildings that were destroyed by fire on Knowlton Corner Road early Saturday.
No one was injured, Farmington Fire Rescue Chief Clyde Ross said Monday.
“We’re hopefully going to rebuild,” Pam Smiley said Monday. Smiley said her son, Brian, took over the operation of the sawmill, Smiley’s Lumber, about two weeks ago and it is owned by the family including her husband, Donald Smiley Jr.
Pam Smiley said her husband and son harvested wood from their property, sawed it up and sold it. They also made wood into boards, dimensional lumber and planed lumber.
“They saved my house. I’m so thankful,” Pam Smiley said of the firefighters from 10 towns who responded to the 3:51 a.m. fire.
Eighty firefighters and numerous tankers and engines among other fire trucks responded to the fully involved fire, Ross said. They were able to save the house that was about 60 feet away from an outbuilding that was burning.
Firefighters shuttled water from a hydrant near Colonial Valley Motel on routes 2 and 4 and also from a hydrant in North Chesterville, Ross said. “We had plenty of water,” he said.
The sawmill is closer to North Chesterville and about 3 miles from routes 2 and 4.
Firefighters had to put out spot fires in the woods and returned to the scene two times after leaving it the first time.
A Maine forest ranger was also at the scene.
The sawmill was not insured. The fire destroyed outbuildings that included a mobile home trailer being converted into an office for the business. Besides buildings and equipment, grade stakes, sawed lumber and edgings also were destroyed, Ross said.
“We’ve had a lot of people turn out to help us clean up,” Smiley said. “It will take a while.”
An investigation of the cause of the fire is ongoing, Ross said. He estimated that damage was in the several tens of thousands of dollars.
Once again mutual aid departments proved to be beneficial, he said. Firefighters responded to assist Farmington from departments in Chesterville, East Dixfield, Industry, Jay, Livermore Falls, New Sharon, Strong, Temple and Wilton. NorthStar Emergency Medical Services were also there to help.
dperry@sunjournal.com
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