The fire that gutted a Windham house this weekend was the second blaze to strike the building in less than a month.

Windham Fire Chief Charlie Hammond said the house at 13 Hemon Cobb Road in Windham was boarded up with plywood when his crews arrived at about 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 29 after a passerby noticed the smoke.

“The first fire was just a basement fire, there was no severe damage to the building,” said Hammond. He said Sunday’s fire tore through the roof, but all four sides of the building are still standing.

He said it was up to the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office to determine if the fires are suspicious. It is currently investigating the matter.

Hammond said the boards covering all the doors and windows made it difficult for firefighters to enter the building. After taking power saws to the plywood and smashing the plate glass windows with the fire hoses, firefighters were able to see inside and discovered that the fire in the first floor and the basement was too heavy and fought the blaze from outside.

There is no public water system in the area, so the fire crews from Windham, Gorham, Raymond and Gray used a tanker shuttle to supply their hoses with foam and water.

Middle school secretary charged with embezzling money from schoolHemonCobbFire1-3: Firefighters cut through these plywood boards with power saws to get into the house. It was boarded up following a basement fire a few weeks before.HemonCobbFire1-3: Firefighters cut through these plywood boards with power saws to get into the house. It was boarded up following a basement fire a few weeks before.HemonCobbFire1-3: Firefighters cut through these plywood boards with power saws to get into the house. It was boarded up following a basement fire a few weeks before.HemonCobbFire4: This house on Hemon Cobb Road was scorched by fire twice this April.