WILTON — State fire investigators ruled that a fire in the basement of a house at 219 Magrath Road on Sunday afternoon was accidental, Deputy Chief Tom Doak said Monday.
It is believed ashes may have been dropped Saturday when being taken outside so a collapsed wood furnace smoke pipe could be repaired, he said.
Investigators were on the scene Monday morning to try and determine a cause.
Donna Nichols and her four children, the oldest age 17 and the youngest age 9, live at the house, Doak said.
About 30 firefighters from Wilton, Chesterville, East Dixfield, Farmington and Jay fire departments responded to the report at 4:05 p.m. along with a NorthStar EMS ambulance. Livermore Falls Fire Department, which serves as Wilton’s Rapid Intervention Response Team, was cancelled en route to the scene.
Firefighters were able to contain the fire to one section of the basement. They had it knocked down quickly and were searching for any hot spots or extension of the fire within 20 minutes, Doak said.
There was no major structural damage, he said. Some wiring and plumbing burned and some timbers were charred, he said. There was some contents in the basement that burned and were damaged on the floor, he said. There was some smoke damage upstairs.
“It was a great effort by our department and other fire departments that responded,” he said.
The family did not start a fire in the wood furnace on Saturday after it was repaired. They did start one Sunday and went shopping. When they return, one of the children saw smoke in the basement, he said.
The residence is insured.
When the insurance company gets everything cleaned up and settled, the family will be able to live there, he said.
The American Red Cross has been called to help the family. The family stayed at a motel Sunday night.
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