Fire destroys Orrington family’s home

ORRINGTON – Smoke and flames destroyed a house here Tuesday evening, leaving a family of four homeless.

John and Ruth York and their children, Michael, 13, and Eva, 9, of 97 Settlers Way were not home when the fire broke out, according to Michael York. However, their dog, four cats, rabbit and fish died in the blaze, he said.

A neighbor, Lynn Hines, said she saw smoke coming out of the large wooden house as she was driving home just before 7:30 p.m. She used her cell phone to call 911, then kicked in the back door and called out to see if anyone was home. Smoke billowed out and prevented her from entering, she said.

“My fear was that the kids were home, but they weren’t,” Hines said.

John and Ruth York and Orrington Fire Chief Michael Spencer were unavailable for comment.

Michael York watched the fire from the front lawn of his aunt’s home, a few houses down the road. He said he had been at school with his chess club and his parents were watching his sister’s cheerleading practice when the fire broke out.

“My sister is pretty upset about her rabbit,” he said.

Fire and rescue workers from Orrington, Brewer, Dedham and Bucksport were called to the scene and fought the fire into the night. At around 9 p.m., it appeared that the fire had been put out, but small blazes began on the roof. At 9:35 p.m. the attic caught fire and flames roared through the roof.

An addition on the house was burned to the ground, and the entire inside of the home appeared to have been gutted by the fire. By 10 p.m., the house was little more than a large, white clapboard skeleton with blue trim. A green rocking chair sat in the snow on the lawn amid tangled fire hoses.

Neighbors watching the fire speculated that it may have started in a wood stove in the basement.

aravana@bangordailynews.net

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