CARMEL — Gusty winds carried flames from a burning barn 20 feet to a house and shed in a fire Thursday night that destroyed all three buildings and left a family of seven homeless.

Firefighters from four communities were called to the scene to battle the wind-fanned fire at the David and Nina Speed home two miles in on the Bemis Road.

At least two firefighters were reported to have received minor treatment in a ambulance for smoke inhalation. Both parents were away from home when the fire started and their five children, who had been playing outside when it started, were reported uninjured.

While it has not been determined what started the fire, David Speed said the children, ages 11-16, had been playing with sparklers behind the old barn. “As hard as the wind was blowing, that’s all it would take,” he said.

An inspection of the ruins by the state Fire Marshal’s Office is expected Friday morning

Speed said he and his wife had been at the town office by the fire department filling out some papers and “watched as the (fire) trucks were going by.” About 20 minutes later, he said, someone telephoned them and told them their house was on fire.

Neighbors Gill Peavey and Chuck Kelley said they were the first to arrive on the scene. When they got there, the fire had completely burned down the barn and was moving towards the shed attached to the house.

“Flames were licking right up the back of the house,” Kelley said. The house was an estimated 20 feet from the barn. Peavey said the wind was whistling and pointed to a van that had been parked next to the house as also having received damage from the flames from the barn. The van showed extensive scorch marks and a reflective light on the side of the car had melted.

Carmel firefighters responded to the fire around 7:30 p.m. and assistance was requested from the Hermon, Etna, and Levant fire departments. Carmel and Levant rescue trucks were also on the scene.

“By the time we got here, the house was already going,” said Carmel Fire Chief Bill Mixer. He said the wind, coming from the direction of the barn made fighting the fire more difficult. The wind not only made it harder to direct the water on the fire, he said, but also helped the fire spread.

Very little was left undamaged in the house, he said. Speed said the house had been insured.

While one side of the house was left essentially intact, the others side received extensive damage. The entire shed, attached to the back of the house burned down, leaving only a small chimney standing up nearby. All that was left of the barn was a number of main support beams which still stood straight up as their embers continued to smoulder.