UNION — The State Fire Marshal's Office says a problem with propane caused yesterday's house explosion and fire in Union. Fire Investigators say two portable propane heaters had been installed in the house during renovations and a problem with either the heaters or the gas line caused a buildup of propane inside the building that ignited. The two story farmhouse was leveled. The occupants of the house had been staying elsewhere because of the renovations.

UNION — The Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office confirmed at 9 a.m., Jan. 14, that the owners of a home on Sunk Haze were staying at a motel and were not in the house when a fire destroyed their home in the early morning hours.

Investigators remain on scene in Union trying to determine the cause of a 3 a.m. fire at Sunk Haze, near the Common Road. The fire was initially called in as a gas tank explosion but Sgt. Joel Davis, a fire investigations sergeant, cautioned that they remain uncertain of the cause.

Explosions can occur as a result of a fire, he said.

Firefighters and neighbors were initially worried that the owner, his wife and dog were in the home, but Davis said they had gone to a motel while they were renovating the two-story home.

The house was being heated with portable propane heaters. A team of fire marshal Investigators were on scene for hours and  began looking through the rubble at daylight.

At 8 a.m., Rockport Firefighter Justin Ford assisted with his drone, gathering evidence from above. The firefighters also extended a ladder from a truck over the scene for a bird’s eye view of the scene, and forensics.

Kyle Farley, who lives up the street on Union Common, said he was woken at 3 a.m. by a loud blast that rattled his windows and bed. He jumped up, looked out the window and saw a huge glow coming from Sunk Haze. He grabbed his coat and ran there. His brother lives on the short street that is off of Common Road.

“I thought it was my brother’s,” he said.

Farley called 911 and ran down the road.

“I was hoping I would be able to help, but there was no way,” he said. Flames were high in the sky and the house was destroyed by the time firefighters arrived, approximately 20 minutes later.

The blast blew out the windows of a neighbor’s home, and firefighters sprayed that house, keeping the fire from spreading through the neighborhood.

The house at Sunk Haze has been under renovation all summer, with the owners living in the apartment above.

A construction crew is helping this morning with an excavator to sift through the debris to search the home.

Appleton, Hope, Rockport, Waldoboro, Washington and Warren fire departments were on scene through the early morning hours to help Union Fire Department battle the blaze.

Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657