Richmond firefighters pack up hoses Wednesday after extinguishing a fire at 7 Post Road. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
RICHMOND — Firefighters responded Wednesday morning to a fire at a mobile home at 7 Post Road, limiting damage to the dwelling.
Acting Chief Reed Gilbert of the Richmond Fire Department said the resident reported the fire after she saw flames through a window when she returned home shortly before 11 a.m.
“It’s very fortunate that she came home when she did,” Gilbert said. “If she was even another two or three minutes later, this would have been a total loss.”
Gilbert said it appeared a lit candle on a table tipped over or was knocked over by the resident’s cat inside the home, near the intersection of Post Road and Main Street, which is also known as Route 197.
The candle appeared to have ignited papers on the table, and flames then began to climb a wall, he said.
Richmond’s Engine 1 and Gardiner Rescue were the first vehicles to arrive at the scene, Gilbert said, and firefighters put on their air packs and entered the home.
Once the fire was out, firefighters worked to clear the smoke from inside the home.
Gilbert said the resident reported seeing the cat outside the home after firefighters arrived.
Kennebec Journal staff photographer Joe Phelan contributed to this report.
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