BETHEL — A fire that destroyed a barn on Chapman Street and damaged the attic of the house was apparently an accident, State Fire Marshal investigator Chris Stanford said Monday.
No one was injured, Fire Chief Mike Jodrey said.
The fire in Mitch and Jane Benedict’s barn at 13 Chapman St. broke out at about 11:30 a.m. and was reported by Bethel Water District employees, Jodrey said. No one was there at the time, he said.
The barn was attached to the house.
Firefighters from Bethel, Newry and Rumford responded and were able to save the house, although fire did get into the attic space and traveled the length of it, Jodrey said. The heat also damaged a new Volvo the couple acquired a week ago, he said.
Stanford ruled the cause of the fire “undetermined.”
“I’m confident it was accidental circumstances,” he said. “We did find active wiring inside the barn and recently removed ashes from the fireplace.”
Jodrey estimated damage at $100,000, not including the new vehicle.
The house was remodeled four years ago and it and the 24- by 24-foot, 2½-story barn were insured, Jodrey said.
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