UPDATE: The state fire marshal’s office has concluded the fire that destroyed a Dresden firefighter’s home Thanksgiving Day was accidental. An investigator who examined the scene concurred with Dresden Fire Chief Gerald Lilly’s initial finding, that the fire started in the area of the wood stove, Maine Fire Marshal Joseph Thomas said November 26.

A Dresden firefighter lost his home to fire Thanksgiving Day. No one was home at Albert Lilly’s Middle Road, Dresden, residence when the fire broke out around 1 p.m., November 22, apparently around the wood stove, Dresden Fire Chief Gerald Lilly said.

The chief is the homeowner’s brother.

The fire was “fully involved,” when firefighters arrived on the scene, Chief Lilly said that evening. The home was "totally destroyed,” he said.

Prior to the fire, Albert Lilly had left to go to his daughter’s house, the chief said. 

The Red Cross put Albert Lilly up at an area hotel. It was not immediately known if his home was insured. 

Chief Lilly planned to have the fire marshal’s office look at the scene, although the fire was not suspicious. “That’s just my policy,” he said.

Asked if the fire was harder for him to work on than some fires because it was his brother’s house, Chief Lilly said, “No, they’re all hard.”