FARMINGTON — A fast-moving fire destroyed a mobile home with a small addition at 877 Whittier Road on Tuesday morning.

State fire investigators were at the scene Tuesday afternoon to try to determine the cause of the fire.

Several dogs were rescued, but a lizard perished, Deputy Fire Chief Clyde Ross of the Farmington Fire/Rescue Department said. 

The home is owned by Chris and Pam Smith. The couple and their six children, ages 18 months to 21, lived there, Ross said.

One of the children, a 14-year-old boy, had stayed home from school. According to Pam Smith, she had left him home for about 20 minutes to run a couple of errands.

Goose hunter Bob Millay of Chesterville was driving by when his passenger, Terry Kenniston of Strong, told him to stop and back up because the mobile home was on fire, Millay said.

A boy came up to them and asked them to “please help” him save his animals, Millay said.

“The poor little kid, he was hysterical,” Millay said.

Kenniston helped get two dogs out and removed a kennel that had eight to 10 puppies in it. A third dog had already gotten outside. The child had tried to get the kennel out of the home.

Kenniston told the child they could not go back in and get his lizard because of the flames.

Kenniston said he stomped out a fire that had spread on the ground.

A local Red Cross Disaster Action Response Team member assisted the family, according to an email from Justin Burkhardt, regional director of communications for the American Red Cross of Maine. The Red Cross will ensure the family has a safe place to sleep, food and other essentials, he said.

Farmington firefighters were assisted by crews from Chesterville, New Sharon, Temple and Wilton. 

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

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