Fire destroys Corinth home; man burned rescuing pets

CORINTH – Fire alarms in the Ledge Hill Road home of Luke Sands and his son alerted them to a fire early Saturday morning and the two got out in time, Corinth Fire Chief Scott Bragdon said Sunday. The father suffered burns while saving pets.

A neighbor called in the 4 a.m. fire, and father and son were outside when fire crews arrived.

“The front of the mobile home was totally involved,” Bragdon said.

Luke Sands suffered second-degree burns to his bare legs when he went inside the burning structure to retrieve family pets, Bragdon said.

“He saved four cats and two birds,” he said, adding that he believes a couple of cats may have perished in the blaze.

Sands was treated at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor and later released. His son was not injured.

The family has lived in the home for a year, and fire investigators are “fairly certain it was an unattended candle,” Bragdon said.

Fire crews from Kenduskeag and Garland assisted Corinth. Bradford crews provided fire station backup.

“They’ll be able to salvage some personal items, but the structure is uninhabitable for sure,” Bragdon said.