Family homeless following fire

By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
 HOULTON, Maine — A Houlton family was homeless Friday after an early morning fire destroyed the home they were renting.
Jocelyn Howe, who lived at 52 River St. in Houlton with her two children and brother Shawn, was renting the home at the time of the fire. Andrew and Melissa Marshall, who reside in Virginia, own the property, which was for sale.    According to Houlton Fire Chief Milton Cone, Shawn Howe reported the fire at 5:08 a.m. The fire originated in a breezeway that connected the garage to the home.
“The fire was discovered by Jocelyn around 5 a.m.,” Cone said. “There were some hats and mittens close to a wood stove — which was located in the breezeway — that were drying out. Those items caught on fire, which caught the adjacent wall on fire.”
Cone said the Howes tried to extinguish the flames themselves, but quickly discovered it was spreading throughout the house. The family safely exited the home and called the fire department.
“When the first trucks arrived on scene, fire was rolling out of the door and downstairs windows and up the side of the house,” Cone said.
Twenty-three men responded and battled bitterly cold temperatures, which complicated their efforts. Heavy smoke, resulting in zero visibility also made fighting the fire difficult. Because of the sub-zero temperature — which was about negative 15 degrees — firefighters had to be concerned with frostbite. Cone said a number of firefighters’ breathing apparatus also froze up while fighting the fire.
“We had the ambulance on scene and were rotating firefighters inside to try to keep them as warm as possible,” Cone said.
The fire did not spread to any of the adjacent dwellings or vehicles. Cone attributed that fact to the asbestos siding on the outside of the structure, which kept much of the heat inside.
Firefighters thought they had the blaze contained at one point, but it spread into the attic and continued throughout the house. The dwelling was a total loss. As of 9 a.m., a handful of firefighters remained on scene to monitor the situation.
Cone said the American Red Cross outreach office in Presque Isle was contacted to assist the family.
According to property tax records, the building and property was assessed at $62,300. Cone said that Howe did not have rental insurance. He was uncertain if the Marshall’s had homeowners insurance for the dwelling.
Jocelyn Howe’s employer, York’s of Houlton, has taken the initiative to raise funds for the family and is accepting donations at its North Street business. For more information, contact Angie McGary at York’s of Houlton at 532-6534.