VIDEO: Fire crews from five communities battled a house fire on Keith Street for nearly six hours Tuesday.
When they were done, the house was complete loss. Smoke from the fire was visible from Route 9, billowing from the house at 31 Keith St., not far south of the Augusta town line.
Neighbor Roberta Veilleux called 911 around 12:30 p.m., after she noticed the fire when she went out to get her mail.
On Tuesday afternoon, Chelsea Assistant Fire Chief Jim Gagnon said the fire has spread throughout the entire home when crews arrived before 1 p.m. Gagnon said then it was too early to know the cause of the fire. Firefighters were overheard telling property owners Melissa and Michael Dusoe that the fire started in the basement.
The home, which stood on a wooded lot, had two levels and was built into the side of a small hill.