HAMPDEN, Maine — Thanks to a 9-year-old's quick thinking, a Hampden family is safe after an overnight fire destroyed their home Tuesday.
The Hampden Fire Department was called just after 1 a.m. to a home located on Fowler Road for a reported building fire, according to a news release from Hampden Public Safety.
Officials said the fire reportedly started near the front of the home, and multiple towns responded to the scene.
The family's 9-year-old son, Cooper Adkins, was the first one to hear the fire alarm and knew he had to wake his family up when he first saw flames.
"The only reason I figured this out is because school gave me the information, and that's why you practice drills in school for this occasion," he said. "We evacuated, we grabbed our most prized possessions, and then this sort of happened."
The family said they would be staying at a friend's house for the time being, and the Red Cross has reached out to assist them.
Fire crews reportedly left the scene around 6:30 a.m., then returned to clean up throughout the day. No injuries were reported in the fire.
Safety officials attributed "extremely difficult" fire suppression efforts to the home's building materials and construction, size, and lack of water supply.
The State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the cause of the fire. Officials said it does not appear suspicious at this time.
"Mutual aid was requested from the Hermon Fire Department, Levant Fire Department, Carmel Fire Department, Newburgh Fire Department, Air National Guard Fire Department, Brewer Fire Department, Bangor Fire Department, Orrington Fire Department, Etna Fire Department, and Holden Fire Department," according to the release.