CARTHAGE — A fire that destroyed a house and attached garage at 11 Pulk Blvd. on Monday started in the garage and spread to the ranch-style home, Fire Chief Dan Skidgell said.
State fire investigators believe a battery charger that overheated in a garage caught the garage and attached house on fire at 11 Pulk Boulevard in Carthage on Monday, Fire Chief Dan Skidgell said. Courtesy photo Phillips Fire Department
When Skidgell arrived, the garage was engulfed in flames that had begun to spread to the house, he said.
Pulk Boulevard is off Route 142.
Owner Stephen Pulk and his wife and two children were not home at the time. Pulk, a local firefighter, left work at a paper mill to go to the scene but was not involved in fighting the fire, Skidgell said. The property was insured.
At least 45 firefighters from Carthage, Weld, Dixfield, East Dixfield, Phillips, Mexico, Peru, Rumford and Wilton responded to the fire reported about 3:30 p.m.
Fire investigators from the Office of the Maine State Fire Marshal believe the fire started when a battery charger in the garage overheated, Skidgell said.
State fire investigators believe a battery charger that overheated in a garage caught the garage and attached house on fire at 11 Pulk Blvd. in Carthage on Monday, Fire Chief Dan Skidgell said. Photo courtesy of Phillips Fire Department
Firefighters set up a portable pond and once Central Maine Power arrived and shut off the electricity, firefighters also pumped water from a pond out back, he said.
No one was injured, but heat exhaustion was an issue.
“We had to rotate the guys on hoses,” he said. “It was pretty hot.”
Relatives of the Pulks brought big jugs of water, lemonade and Gatorade for firefighters, he said.
The Pulks stayed with family who live on the boulevard.
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