A fire Saturday morning on Ford Hill Road in Hartland that left a family of three homeless started when an electrical light cord malfunctioned, a state fire official said Wednesday.
“The fire originates in the bedroom,” said Sgt. Ken Grimes, of the state fire marshal’s office. “It’s accidental.”
Investigators returned on Monday and again Wednesday to determine the cause and origin of the fire. It was originally thought that the fire might have started in the basement.
Hartland Fire Chief Tim Kuespert said the single-story, wood-frame house was home to Bryan Spencer and his wife, Heather, and their 8-month old son, Eben. No one was home when the fire started and no one was injured, Kuespert said. He said the home was insured but is uninhabitable after the blaze. Fire crews from Hartland, St. Albans, Canaan and Pittsfield went to the scene.
A local Red Cross Disaster Action Response Team member helped the family find a safe place to sleep overnight, food and other essentials.
Grimes said the building was damaged extensively.
“Normally, the case after a fire is that it’s uninhabitable because of the smoke damage throughout the building,” he said. “But it’s between the homeowner and the insurance company to decide if you can renovate it or if you have to tear it down.”
Doug Harlow — 612-2367
Twitter:@Doug_Harlow
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