House blaze probed

PEMBROKE – Fire officials continued Sunday to investigate the cause of an early-morning house fire that forced the owner to flee out her bedroom window.

Around 3:42 a.m., Darlene Preston, who lives in a single-story house on the Garnett Head Road, smelled smoke and saw an orange glow coming from her living room. She was able to escape out a bedroom window, Pembroke Fire Chief Bob Barr said.

When firefighters arrived a few minutes later, they saw smoke coming from the eaves and from the living room windows. They also could see a glow through the window of the front door.

Barr said the cause of the fire still was unknown. He said the incident remained under investigation, although he said he did not believe the fire was suspicious.

The fire chief said he did not know whether Preston was insured nor could he estimate the amount of damage.

“There is fire damage in the living room. There is smoke damage throughout the house. There is only water damage basically in the living room and kitchen,” he said.

Firefighters from Pembroke and Dennysville were on-site for more than three hours.