HARRISON — A family was taken to the hospital with minor injuries early Tuesday morning after a fire destroyed their home, according to Harrison Fire Chief Dana Laplante.

The fire was reported at around 3:30 a.m. at 29 Rich Road, he said. 

“We talked with the homeowner, and he said the fire started with a space heater that they had left running,” Laplante said.

Four people in the mobile home escaped. Three suffered smoke inhalation and the homeowner “singed his beard and had some minor burns,” the chief said.

All four went to Stephens Memorial Hospital in Norway for evaluation, he said.

Laplante said he called the State Fire Marshal’s Office to ask if they wanted to investigate further, but had not yet heard from them.  

“They may be satisfied with the information we got from the homeowners,” he said. “They may still come up and investigate.”

Fire departments from Harrison, Bridgton, Norway, Otisfield and Paris responded to the scene, along with PACE Ambulance, Laplante said.

Laplante said that since the occupants required medical attention, he was not immediately able to get their names.

David and Patti Toothaker own the property at 29 Rich Road, according to the Harrison tax assessor database. 

The American Red Cross in Maine wrote that it responded to the home Tuesday morning to provide assistance to the family.

mdaigle@sunmediagroup.net