SABATTUS – Firefighters spent more than three hours battling fire and wind Friday in a blaze that destroyed a hillside home at 500 Lisbon Road.

“We didn’t have much of a chance,” said Don Therrien, assistant fire chief. The house was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters received the emergency call at 3:13 p.m.

Someone driving past the home saw the smoke and flames and stopped at the next house on the road, about half a mile away. The neighbor happened to be a firefighter, who called for help and rushed to the scene.

Firefighters from Lisbon, Wales and Monmouth assisted the Sabattus department, which was challenged by the high winds.

“It just blew all over the place,” Therrien said. “We chased it for about three hours before we got it under control.

The owner was not home, but a cat is believed to have perished inside. It was a total loss, Therrien said.

“All four walls are standing, but everything inside is gone,” he said.