Blaze Levels Home of ME Assistant Chief

LEVANT, Maine — A fire that began during a family gathering on Labor Day leveled the home of the town’s assistant fire chief.

The blaze at the Quinn Road residence of Mark and Darolyn McKay, their two teenage daughters and 4-year-old son began about 6:30 p.m. Monday, after the family had been cooking on a deck out back, Fire Chief Eric Strout said Tuesday evening.

Strout said the fire was one of the fastest moving he has seen in his career, likely because the house, which the family has been living in for less than a year, was built of newer, lighter weight material that burns more easily than the denser wooden goods more commonly used in the past.

Firefighters from Levant were assisted by crews from Hermon, Kenduskeag, Glenburn, Stetson, Corinth, Carmel, Hudson, Corinna, Bangor, the Maine Air National Guard and Capital Ambulance while Bradford firefighters provided station coverage. Gardner Construction helped pull debris from the fire.

No one was injured, but the family lost all of their belongings in the fire, and the community, friends and firefighters already are rallying to help.

Mark McKay, Strout said, works in fire equipment service and sales and is well regarded around the state. Many of those stepping forward to assist the McKays have done business with him in the past, he said.

Donations of clothing and other necessities are being collected at the Levant Fire Department at 3917 Union St. Information about donating has been posted on the Levant Fire & Rescue Facebook page.

Donations can be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. through the end of the week, unless firefighters need to go out on calls, but arrangements can be made for pick up, if necessary.

In addition, the local Boy Scout group will be holding a fundraising breakfast on Saturday as part of next weekend’s Old Home Days celebration and are donating the proceeds to the McKays, Strout said.

The breakfast is scheduled to run from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the firehouse but may last longer if attendance warrants, Strout said.

For more information or to make arrangements to donate, call the fire department at 884-7574 or contact the department through its Facebook page.

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