BUCKFIELD — The Fire Marshal’s Office has determined that a Dec. 5, 2015, fire at the home of Kevin and Carrie LeClair was accidental.
The fire started in front of a pellet stove at the single-family home at 144 Hebron Road/Route 124. The family had been in the process of moving out and was not home when the fire started.
On Wednesday, fire investigator Sgt. Joel Davis said combustible materials were stored too close to the pellet stove, causing the fire.
When firefighters arrived at the house on the morning of the fire, according to Deputy Fire Chief David Knox, they believed the fire may have started in the basement and burned upward. But, when a second team went into the basement, it was clear the fire had started above and burned down to the basement.
Given the direction of the fire and the fact that the family had moved most of the furniture and other belongings out of the house, the fire was considered suspicious at the time.
The fire was quickly brought under control by eight responding departments, and while the house was not destroyed, there was heavy smoke and water damage inside.
jmeyer@sunjournal.com
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