Cause of East Dixfield home fire under investigation

WILTON — The cause of a fire that destroyed a single-family home at 221 More Acres Road in East Dixfield on Thursday afternoon remains under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

A state electrical investigator, a state fire investigator and Wilton Fire Chief Sonny Dunham were at the scene Friday morning.

The home belongs to Shane and Ashley Rackliffe and three young children, Dunham said. It is insured, he said.

While the fire centered in the barn, there was a lot of water and heat damage to the house. Some items from the home may be cleaned up and saved, he said.

The fire apparently started in the attached barn about 3:20 p.m. Thursday. he two younger children were watching television and Ashley Rackliffe was doing laundry when a smoke detector went off near the upstairs bedrooms of the children. The older child had not arrived home from school.

Smoke was coming through a closed door from the barn, Dunham said.

Ashley grabbed her children and left the house. A neighbor, Duane Greenleaf, went in and brought the family dog.

The Red Cross is helping the family.

Firefighters had plenty of water to fight the fire, and about 50 firefighters from the surrounding area provided mutual aid, Dunham said.

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