JAY — Firefighters saved a home from fire early Friday morning, despite inches of snow that hampered getting there.

A chimney fire at the home of Dean Couture at 667 Plaisted Road, off East Jay Road, went into a wall causing damage to a portion of the house, Jay Fire Capt. Darren Roundy said.

Couture was out plowing, came in and realized there was a chimney fire. Fire alarms went off and he called for help around 1 a.m. Friday, Roundy said.

Firefighters were able to contain the fire to a living room-area wall and used tarps and plastic to keep the snow out and items in the home safe from the weather, he said.  The wall was left open to the elements, he said.

With some winterization work on the wall, Roundy thought the home could be inhabited again. The Coutures stayed with friends for the rest of the night, he said.

“It was what we call a good stop,” he said about saving the home.

Jay firefighters found 18 to 20 inches of snow when they arrived at the station, he said.

Roundy was grateful for the town’s highway department, which helped the trucks make it to the fire and back by plowing and sanding, he said. 

Weather conditions hampered their efforts to respond quickly to the fire, but no trucks became stuck, he said. There was also a good response of firefighters from the department.

Roundy also expressed gratitude for mutual aid from Livermore Falls, Livermore, Wilton and Farmington fire departments, which also arrived to help, he said. NorthStar Emergency Services also responded to the fire, but there were no injuries.

abryant@sunmediagroup.net