Smoke plumes from a Norway home destroyed by fire Tuesday evening. Nicole Carter / Advertiser Democrat

NORWAY — A house in a hilly and remote neighborhood in Norway was flattened by a fire Tuesday evening.

The fire was reported at 5:31 p.m. Norway’s Assistant Fire Chief Ryan Fox was the first firefighter to arrive on the scene. By then, the house was fully engulfed by flames. Two people were home at the time and got out safely.

Fire trucks were called in from at least 11 Oxford Hills fire departments to help battle a blaze Tuesday evening on French Road in Norway. Nicole Carter / Advertiser Democrat

“Report of a fire came in that started on the back deck of the house at 64 French Road,” Fox said. “By the time I arrived the fire had spread to the home. Within five minutes the house was fully involved and within 10 minutes the second story of the building collapsed.

“The occupants got out in the nick of time. There was also one cat in the house that has not been accounted for.”

The Red Cross was called in to assist the home’s residents.

“There were several explosions between small propane tanks and ammunition going off,” Fox said. “There is one 250-pound propane tank off the back of the house that took our immediate focus.”

Firefighters set up water supply collection at Herrick Brook, located on Morse Road less than a mile from the scene. More than a dozen water tank fire trucks were lined up in formation along Morse and French roads and by 7:15 p.m. they began refilling them, one at a time.

“As of now it is a two-alarm fire and I have at least 35 firefighters on the scene [not including those at support stations],” Fox said.

Fire departments from Norway, Paris, Otisfield, Waterford, Harrison, West Paris, Buckfield, Woodstock, Greenwood, Bridgton and Sweden responded to the blaze.

Flames shoot late Tuesday afternoon from the windows of a home at 67 French Road in Norway. Charles Blaquiere photos