Fire claims 140-year-old Lincoln farmhouse

LINCOLN – Investigators from the state fire marshal’s office were working Monday to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed a house on Half Township Road and left a family homeless.

Investigators pored over the burned structure at 383 Half Township Road. No cause has been determined, although foul play seems unlikely, Fire Chief William Lee said Monday.

Leon Larlee owned the house. One of the family members may have suffered slight burns, Lee said. No other information was available, he said.

No firefighters were hurt.

The fire was reported at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday. When firefighters arrived, the first floor was intact, but flames were flaring on the second floor and burning into the attic and roof, Lee said.

Firefighters began an interior attack on the first floor, but had to pull back when they saw that the smoke and fire were extremely heavy and the roof was starting to collapse, Lee said.

Firefighters called for mutual aid from Lee and Mattawamkeag. Firefighters from those departments used tanker trucks to run water to the fire across a seven-mile distance, Lee said.

The shuttle system worked, but firefighters couldn’t save the house, Lee said.

“It’s really too bad, because it was a lovely farmhouse,” he said.

The farmhouse was about 140 years old, he said.

The American Red Cross was called to assist the family, which was relocated, Lee said.

Investigators could not be reached for comment.