Cooking fire blamed in blaze that gutted Lebanon home

LEBANON, Maine - A fast-moving fire destroyed an Upper Guinea Road home on Wednesday.

The two-alarm blaze at 764 Upper Guinea Road was reported around 5:35 p.m. and drew firefighters from several communities in Maine and New Hampshire.

Lebanon Fire and EMS Chief Steven Merrill said the two-alarm cape was "well involved" by the time Lebanon firefighters arrived.

He said crews launched an exterior attack in order to protect other residences and property and were able to draw water from a nearby creek.

One unnamed firefighter suffered minor injuries fighting the blaze.

The cause of the blaze has been determined to be accidental due to a cooking fire.

The family of two adults and two children along with a dog and three cats all got out of the house safely.

Merrill said the last firefighters left the scene around 9 p.m.

Lebanon received mutual aid support from South Berwick, North Berwick and Alfred as well as Somersworth, Rochester, Milton, Newington and Durham in New Hampshire. Durham and Newington provided extractions teams in the event of a downed firefighter inside a burning structure.

Shapleigh provided station coverage.

Merrill said the house that burned is a total loss.