RANGELEY — About 25 firefighters from Rangeley and Eustis extinguished a blaze Sunday at a house at 7 Robbins Ave., Rangeley fire Chief Tim Pellerin said Monday.

Firefighters had just returned from handling a tree on wires when the fire was reported at 1:04 p.m., he said.

The family of Neal Stewart got out of the building and kept warm by sitting in a running vehicle with their dog.

The cause of the fire was an improperly installed wood stove, he said.

The fire started on the first floor in the wall behind the wood stove, got into the ceiling and went into the second-floor walls, Pellerin said.

When firefighters arrived, smoke was coming out of the house and when the first fire crews went in, there was heavy smoke on the first and second floor, he said.

They used thermal imaging cameras to pinpoint where the fire was and to do the least amount of damage possible in getting to the fire, he said.

The wind chill was 13 below zero, he said.

The house is livable and is insured.

He estimated damage at about $10,000.

dperry@sunjournal.com