Four people made it out alive after a home in Gorham went up in flames late Saturday afternoon.

The home, owned by Reginald Irish Jr., caught fire at about 3:30 p.m. after Irish and his brother were trying to warm up frozen pipes in a second-floor bedroom.

“We were in the process of fixing a copper pipe in the baseboard heater that burst,” Irish said while standing on his property Saturday afternoon watching fire crews from Gorham and surrounding towns fight the blaze. “We were trying to free up the pipe using a propane torch, but in doing so, it must’ve caught something inside the wall, beyond what we realized.”

Gorham Fire Chief Bob Lefebvre estimated damage to the two-story cape home at $45,000. Lefebvre said two firefighters were injured, but neither was hospitalized. One firefighter suffered burns on ears and another firefighter sustained burns on a wrist. Both were treated at the scene.

Lefebvre said the cold weather was uncomfortable for firefighters, but the cold didn’t hamper attacking the fire. Lefebvre said thawing frozen pipes with a propane torch caused the fire.

Irish said he inadvertently caught some of the insulation on fire and the bedroom quickly filled with smoke. Irish said he tried using a fire extinguisher but the attempt proved ineffective on the flames, which had already spread inside the wall. Immediately, without salvaging any personal belongings, he and his brother exited the building, along with two of Irish’s nephews, who were downstairs at the time of the fire. Irish was unsure if several house cats had made it out alive.

“I saw one come flying out, but I don’t know about the others,” Irish said.

Irish said the blocked water pipe, which led from a furnace in the basement, had stopped giving off heat about several days before the fire took place.

The house, located at 473 Libby Ave., was about a half-mile from the nearest fire hydrant, so crews had to couple hoses together to span the distance. Ladder crews used a tower truck to attack the fire from above, and several units surrounded the building providing fire suppressant spray when needed.

Crews had a particularly difficult time getting into the roof since, according to Irish, a new metal roof had been recently installed.

Irish, 50, is now staying at his sister’s house next door. The former Blue Seal Feeds employee in South Windham said he has been unemployed since October 2005 and is searching for work.

Lefebvre said firefighters were at the scene until 8 p.m. He said it was a two-alarm fire and he additionally asked for other units in a couple of special calls. He said Windham firefighters assisted in battling the blaze while Westbrook, Buxton, Standish and Scarborough units covered Gorham fire stations.

American Journal reporter Robert Lowell also contributed to this article.

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Ladder crews used a tower truck to attack the fire from above, and several units surrounded the building providing fire suppressant spray when needed. Crews had a particularly difficult time getting into the roof since, according to Irish, a new metal roof had been recently installed.