Weekend fires strike Jackman and Searsport

A flat tire may have saved a Searsport woman’s life early Sunday when she decided to spend the night at a friend’s home and fix the flat in the morning.

At about 2:30 a.m., firefighters were called to Sarah Nickerson’s home on Route 1 at the town line between Searsport and Stockton Springs.

“Flames were already coming out of the roof,” Dept. Chief Herb Kronholm said Sunday evening. “Isn’t it amazing that she got that flat tire?”

Kronholm said four departments fought the blaze which completely destroyed the home. Searsport, Belfast, Frankfort and Stockton Springs firefighters responded and there were no injuries.

“We have no idea at this time what caused the fire,” Kronholm said. He said the roof and the second floor collapsed onto the first floor. Only some walls were left standing.

Kronholm said the American Red Cross was assisting Nickerson, who had no insurance.

Firefighters were called back to the scene later Sunday morning when “hot spots” reignited.

In Jackman, a swift-moving fire destroyed a two-story home on Main Street Saturday, leaving a family of five homeless.

The fire was at Mark and Deb Giroux’s home and was reported just after 11 a.m. Saturday. Mark Giroux is a local EMT and heard the fire call over his emergency scanner.

He reportedly had just left home to run some errands and no one was at home when the fire broke out. The fire destroyed the home and faulty wiring is being looked at as a possible cause. The home was insured.

The family, including three daughters, is receiving assistance from the Red Cross.

Skowhegan firefighters responded to two calls Saturday but neither resulted in fires. An alarm went off at the Dollar Tree store in Kennebec Plaza but proved to be unwarranted.

Also on Saturday, firefighters responded to a report of smoke at a Hilton Hill Road residence that turned out to be a malfunctioning furnace.