A fire Thursday afternoon destroyed the house belonging to David and Jill Lovewell at 1151 River Road in Livermore. The couple own Barnyard All Terrain, an all-terrain vehicle recreation park at 807 Boothby Road in Livermore. Donna M. Perry/Sun Journal

LIVERMORE — A fire destroyed a home Thursday afternoon belonging to David and Jill Lovewell at 1151 River Road.

David Lovewell, who was working on setting up Barnyard All Terrain, an all-terrain vehicle recreation park at 807 Boothby Road in Livermore, for a big event this weekend, had brought the couple’s two dogs home because it was too hot for them at the park, said Chief Don Castonguay of the Livermore Fire-Rescue Department.

Lovewell told Castonguay he went upstairs to plug in an air conditioner and it sparked. He unplugged the air conditioner and went downstairs to get another. When he came back upstairs, the section of the house was engulfed in flames.

Lovewell was able to get himself and the two dogs out of the house.

When firefighters arrived, two of the house’s sides were burned out, Castonguay said.

About 20 firefighters from Livermore, Jay, Leeds, Livermore Falls and Turner responded to the blaze.

The fire was reported at about 1:30 p.m. A neighbor brought an excavator to help extinguish the fire.

Castonguay said he contacted the American Red Cross to help the family. The Office of State Fire Marshal was also contacted about the fire, which Castonguay described as accidental.

The couple are staying at a camper they have at the all-terrain vehicle park.

NorthStar EMS ambulance personnel were on scene to conduct health checks of firefighters. Deputies from the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office also responded to direct traffic.