Two children, parents flee flames Five families escape blaze in Belfast apartment; three sent to hospital

BELFAST – Three people were rushed to the hospital and five families were chased into the frigid morning air when fire broke out in their High Street apartment house Tuesday.

The fire started in a second-story apartment whose occupants escaped with barely the clothes on their backs.

Flames and black smoke licked at Howard Robbins, 31, and Karrie Hughes, 24, as they rushed their son, Max, 3, and daughter, Destiny, 5, to safety.

“I saw a guy heaving his kids out the door like a sack of potatoes,” said resident David McDonald, referring to Robbins. “He ran out of there barefoot with them. He saved those kids, that’s for darn sure.”

Robbins, Hughes and their son were taken to nearby Waldo County General Hospital for treatment. The parents suffered burns and smoke inhalation; their son suffered from exposure.

The fire was reported at 9:38 a.m., and a quick response by the Belfast Fire Department prevented it from destroying the apartment house or spreading to nearby buildings.

The house at 70 High St. is situated between the former Bradbury Manor and Philip Young’s home-clock repair shop.

A man walking his dog saw smoke pouring from an upstairs window in the building. He ran into the offices of The Republican Journal newspaper across the street, shouting, “Call the fire brigade,” said photographer Tina Shute. Employees rushed across the street to alert the occupants and help them get out of the building.

A makeshift shelter was set up in the Journal’s offices, offering a haven for Robbins, Hughes and their children. Both children appeared frightened at the sight of their parents, whose faces were blackened by smoke. Ambulance attendants administered oxygen to Robbins and Hughes.

The city’s full complement of firefighters and equipment rushed to the scene and had the fire under control within minutes. “We’re lucky we got water on it in a hurry,” said Fire Chief James Richards.

Richards said fire damage was confined to the Robbins-Hughes apartment. The apartment directly below theirs received extensive water damage and its ceiling collapsed.

“I just moved in this week,” said downstairs tenant Charles Marbach. “I was just getting up and had my pajamas on when I heard someone yelling. I smelled smoke and when I looked upstairs I saw fire. I had to rush around and get warm clothes on because I knew it was going to be the coldest day of the year out there. I lost all my worldly possessions.”

Another downstairs tenant, Edward Dorman, said his apartment appeared to be fine.

“All I know is they started hollering ‘fire’ and I got out there in a hurry,” he said.

Richards said two cats were lost in the confusion. One, a black kitten drenched with water, sprang from the house and was rescued by a firefighter and placed in a firetruck to keep warm. The kitten later was put in Dorman’s apartment. The fate of the other cat couldn’t be determined.

Richards said the source of the fire was an overstuffed chair in the Robbins-Hughes living room. He said the family members had been in their bedrooms at the time. He said Hughes told him the family became aware of the fire when a bedroom filled with smoke. “She told me they smoked but that they did their smoking in the bedroom,” Richards said.

Richards said the undamaged apartments appeared to be suitable for occupancy once the building was aired out, buttoned up and power restored. The apartment house is owned by Al Howard of Belfast and, according to city tax records, is valued at $74,300.