PHIPPSBURG
An alert neighbor who happens to be a firefighter helped limit the damage to a summer cottage that caught fire Tuesday night on Shore Road.
William Wyman, alerted to the fire at John Riley’s home, used a garden hose to partially knock it down, according to Fire Chief James Totman. Firefighters then arrived shortly after 8:30, and had the fire out about an hour later, Totman said.
Riley, who was home at the time, was not injured.
“He held it until we got there,” Totman said of Wyman. “We were able to save it.”
Totman said he is virtually certain that electrical problems caused the fire. It caused most of its damage — perhaps $10,000 to $12,000 — to the open-ceiling dining/living room and its pine paneling, he said.
“We tore out one wall pretty bad, and there was water damage,” the chief said. “But there was no damage to the other rooms.”
Crews from Arrowsic, Bath, West Bath and Woolwich covered for the Phippsburg crew, Totman said.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less