March 29, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

Fire in Hampden destroys house, 2 cars

HAMPDEN — A fire that reportededly started in the garage gutted two cars and ravaged through a two-story house here Sunday night.

The house, located on the corner of Perry Road and Coolidge Avenue, belonged to the Michael Gilbert family. They sat on the front door step of a house across the street and watched as flames enveloped and burned their home.

The occupants were entertaining guests from New Jersey downstairs when they discovered the flames. One of them attempted to rescue a car in the driveway, but to no avail, officials said. Neighbors said that the occupants, Michael and Rita Gilbert, have two children,Matt and Cathy.

The fire entered the house through the garage-side wall, of which only the beams were left standing. The patio smoldered, while the garage collapsed and burned on top of a car.

A Hampden police officer, who arrived on the scene four minutes after being alerted at 9:25 p.m., said the blaze spread quickly. Seconds after he stopped his cruiser at the scene, flames flew upstairs, he said.

While flames burned a hole in the roof, they burst through an upstairs window, leaving nothing inside unscathed. Heat melted the white siding on the side of the house.

Hampden Fire Chief Robert Bailey said the house was destroyed.

Kim Samiya, who lives across the street and three houses down, had just returned home when she heard sirens and saw trucks approaching.

“There were flames 20-feet up in the air; I don’t think that’s an exaggeration,” Samiya said. “I was just hoping there was no one in the house. It goes so fast.”

She thought of the children. Her son, Scott, had just traded Nintendo games with the Gilberts’ boy, Matt.

The devastation really hit home for Samiya. In January of 1982, a fire claimed her familiy’s home in


Have feedback? Want to know more? Send us ideas for follow-up stories.

comments for this post are closed

You may also like