Fire causes extensive damage to Hermon home

HERMON – Firefighters from five area departments rushed to the Coldbrook Road on Thursday morning to a fire that gutted a small home.

Crews from Bangor, Hampden, Hermon, Levant and Glenburn responded to the 10:30 a.m. fire, which caused extensive damage to the home of David and Joanne Fish. No one was injured.

While no one was home at the time, it was only by chance, family members said.

David Fish, who works nights, usually is sleeping in the house at the hour the fire started, according to his adult son, Kevin Fish.

On Thursday morning, however, the elder Fish, a truck driver, took the family dog and drove into town to register his wife’s car, according his son. “That’s the good news,” Kevin Fish said as firefighters cleaned up the blackened debris from his parents’ neatly manicured yard.

Joanne Fish was at work at a local bank at the time of the fire.

When crews arrived on the scene, thick black smoke was billowing from the doors and windows. Firefighters, unsure if the dog was still in the home, used a thermal-imaging camera to search the house and locate hot spots, according to Hermon Fire Chief Larry Willis.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office was called in to determine the cause of the fire, which appeared to originate in the center of the home, Willis said, adding that several appliances were located in the area.

The home was insured.

The displaced couple will stay with family members.