POLAND — The Poland fire chief credited a quick mutual response for saving a home from burning flat Friday afternoon on Carpenter Road.

Officials said a man who lives at 83 Carpenter Road got home around 3:30 p.m. to find alarms sounding inside the house. He quickly closed the house up, according to Poland Fire Chief Mark Bosse, and called for help.

Firefighters from Poland, Auburn and other towns responded and within minutes, subdued the flames in the basement of the single-story home. A heater was suspected as the cause of the blaze.

Bosse said the response of area fire departments was an example of how mutual aid is meant to work.

“That’s the reason this house is still standing,” he said.

By nightfall, fire crews were still at the scene clearing smoke from the house and investigating the cause. Bosse said the family who lives at the house would have to make arrangements to stay elsewhere Friday night.

The homeowner’s name was not immediately available.