Fire destroyed a home at 190 Hedge Bridge Road in Woolwich Tuesday night, Feb. 24, after firefighters were unable to put water on the blaze due to a long, unplowed driveway to the residence, Woolwich Fire Captain Glen Kirkpatrick said Wednesday.

A dog and cat died in the fire that was reported at 8:56 p.m. Tuesday, Kirkpatrick said. The home’s owner, whose name was not available by press time, discovered the fire upon arriving home and called 911. No one was injured. The home’s occupants had a walking path from the road to the home through the snow, but if firefighters stepped off it they were about knee-deep in snow, Kirkpatrick said.

He recommends all property owners keep their driveways plowed so that emergency vehicles can get through, and to help with firefighters’ safety.

Kirkpatrick estimated the driveway’s length at about 1,500 feet.  Water hoses couldn’t reach the two-story home. When the fire was first reported, Wiscasset, Dresden, Bath, West Bath, Arrowsic and Georgetown were called to help, but that request was canceled when Woolwich firefighters realized it would not be possible to attack the fire due to the lack of access, Kirkpatrick said.

Woolwich firefighters were able to save a small shed on the property by shoveling snow onto it and keeping it cool, the fire captain said. The fire at the home burned itself out as firefighters continued to monitor the scene, he said.

Because the home was a total loss and the damage so extensive, a cause of the fire cannot be determined, Kirkpatrick said. The fire was not being considered suspicious.

In addition to the unplowed driveway, firefighters also dealt with cold temperatures.

“It was quite difficult,” Kirkpatrick said.

Firefighters cleared the scene at about midnight. Hedge Bridge Road is located off Rout 127 near the Dresden line.