GoFundme campaign initiated to help

Tue, 07/07/2020 - 3:45pm

Sarah Thompson

Thirty-five minutes after fire departments were dispatched to a garage fire in Union, only support posts and beams remained. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)

(Photo by Sarah Thompson)

A tanker truck backs up the hill past the water pool. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)

Looking at Route 131 from the Butler Road. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)

Thirty-five minutes after fire departments were dispatched to a garage fire in Union, only support posts and beams remained. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)

(Photo by Sarah Thompson)

A tanker truck backs up the hill past the water pool. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)

Looking at Route 131 from the Butler Road. (Photo by Sarah Thompson)

UNION — (updated 7/2/2020) A building in Union was still under construction when fire broke out early in the morning, Sunday, June 28.

Union Fire Department determined the cause to be from a person trying to create a charred appearance to wooden planks inside the structure.

According to the Fire Department, the building was not insured, and because of the Department’s confidence in determining the cause, no further investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office was warranted.

Friends have organized a GoFundMe campaign so that everyone may have the opportunity to pool their resources and help Jacob and Gabrielle make a new start.

With your contributions they will begin again and build a simple workshop in hopes of getting it closed in before winter. Any amount you can offer will help get them started.

https://gf.me/u/yda89i

The campaign says:

Our dear friends have suffered the loss of the home they were building to a fire on Sunday, June 28th. Jacob and Gabrielle were nearing the final stages of building their garage with a living space located above. Only the roof and beams were left standing and have since been taken down for safety measures. Thankfully, no one was injured and the fire did not spread despite extremely dry conditions. A huge THANK YOU to the Union, Appleton, Warren, Washington, Searsmont and other area Fire Departments and 1st responders.

UNION — Union Fire Department and its mutual aid responded to a garage fire on the Butler Road, Sunday, June 28.

Following the 5:56 a.m. dispatch from Knox Regional Communications Center, tanker trucks backed their way up a narrow hill from Route 131 in order to supply water to the firefighters from Union, Searsmont, Appleton, Washington, and Hope. That water then flowed through hoses along a downhill driveway and into the fully-engulfed structure at 28 Butler Road.

After the large flames were extinguished, the firefighters spent upwards of two additional hours dousing hotspots along the structure, as well as among a nearby pile of wood planks.

The last remaining firefighters cleared the scene at 8:26 a.m.

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com