WINTHROP — A home at 61 Clark St. in Winthrop was destroyed by fire early Tuesday, but the tenants of the rental property made it out safely.
The renters said the fire began when they were adjusting a plug in an electric outlet and sparks came out, igniting a nearby bed, according to Dan Brooks, chief of the Winthrop Fire Department.
“From there, it took off like crazy,” Brooks said. “By the time we had got there, it had already spread into the attic and another room and was coming out of multiple windows.”
Although the walls and roof were still standing, Brooks said the fire “pretty much gutted the place” and destroyed the tenants’ belongings.
The home, less than a quarter-mile south of Main Street, is owned by Linda Parker.
Brooks said he did not know the names of the tenants, who had left by the time he arrived at the fire. He said a woman lived at the house with her boyfriend and two children.
Brooks said the tenants and their dog, which also escaped safely, are staying at another house in Winthrop. Their cats were still missing Tuesday morning, according to Brooks.
Firefighters from Winthrop, Monmouth and Augusta responded to the fire, which was under control within 45 minutes. By 6:30 a.m., firefighters had left the scene.
The Maine Office of State Fire Marshal is investigating the fire’s cause, but did not think it suspicious Tuesday, according to Brooks.
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