CAMDEN — Camden and Rockport firefighters quickly extinguished a fire that was producing heavy, thick smoke inside a Camden home early Saturday morning, while Hope, Lincolnville and Union firefighters remained nearby, ready to assist with additional manpower and tank trucks filled with water.

The home, near the end of Beloin Road and on an oceanfront parcel, sits approximately one half mile from Route 1, and has a narrow approach. Being on the outer edges of Camden, the residences are not serviced by Maine Water Company, and firefighters rely on water trucked in. 

According to Camden Fire Chief Chris Farley, the alarms of smoke detectors woke up the homeowners, Gary and Lisa Fowlie, at 3 a.m., July 23.

Their bedroom door had been closed, and when Lisa got up to investigate, she encountered smoke on the lower level of the home. As she ventured further down the stairs, she got disoriented, stumbled and fell.

Discovering smoke and fire in the living room, she retreated to the bedroom, and the couple escaped from the house.

“It was probably a long smoldering fire,” said Farley.

When Farley arrived, he discovered flames along the walls of the home facing the water.  The house had filled with smoke, which was pouring out of the attic windows.

Farley said the fire appeared to be accidental, and electrical in nature, but the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office was investigating to determine its origin.

Both Lisa and Gary suffered some from smoke inhalation and minor burns on hands, and Lisa visited the Pen Bay Medical Center emergency department to determine if she sustained shoulder injuries from the fall.

“’The smoke detectors saved our lives,’ Gary told me,’” said Farley. “He said, ‘we wouldn't be alive if we went to sleep with our bedroom door open."

Camden firefighters aboard Engine 4 included Camden Assistant Fire Chief Todd Anderson, Earl Holt, Jack Orestis and Will Smith, arrived at the scene, along with Rockport Fire Chief Jason Peasley and Rockport Assistant Fire Chief John Wickenden, in a Rockport firetruck.

They spent two hours tackling the fire, clearing the scene just as after sunrise, around 5:30 a.m.

Firefighters used approximately 1,000 gallons of water, mainly from Engine 4 to extinguish the fire, while many more firefighters from Hope, Lincolnville and Union remained on Route 1, ready to assist.

Structurally, the house will stand, said Farley. However, it will need much interior work to restore it.

Farley thanked the following entities for helping with the morning fire: