York police investigate after fire destroys $1.3M Cape Neddick home

YORK, Maine — A $1.3 million Cape Neddick home was destroyed by fire Thursday night. No one was injured but the structure is a “total loss,” according to York Beach Fire Chief Jeff Welch.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Welch said the home at 2 Forest Hill Lane was “fully involved” with flames when firefighters arrived close to midnight Thursday. York police had received a 911 call reporting the fire at 11:34 p.m.

“It was a large fire, but thankfully we have hydrants in that neighborhood,” Welch said.

The 2½-story log home was built in 2004, according to Welch and town records. Its exact appraisal according to the town is $1,291,300.

The fire reached a third alarm, according to Welch.  He said there were at least 30 firefighters from York alone, responding from the York Beach and York Village Fire Departments.

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“The town’s very fortunate to have the call staff,” Welch said.

York firefighters were assisted by departments from Ogunquit, Wells, Kittery, Eliot, South Berwick and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, which each brought four firefighters, according to Welch. New Hampshire departments from Newington, Greenland and Rollinsford provided station coverage. York Ambulance also responded.

The fire took about two hours to knock down and then required an extensive overhaul to find remaining hot spots. No one was found inside the home by firefighters, according to Welch.

York police stated the area of the home was secured in a press release and there is "no immediate threat to the public."

"There is no ongoing risk to nearby residents or businesses," the press release stated.

A call to York police was not immediately returned.

Welch said the fire is being investigated by the Maine state fire marshal and York police, who said they plan to conduct a "thorough investigation" into the fire. Welch said it was too soon to know how or where the fire started.

“We’re in the infancy stages,” Welch said. “We don’t have any pinpoint of cause at this time.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York police investigate after fire destroys $1.3M Cape Neddick home