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Historic lodge on Kezar Lake burns to the ground

April 15, 2007 - The historic three-story Severance Lodge on the shore of Kezar Lake burned to the ground Saturday morning in a fire of undetermined origin, officials said. It was unoccupied at the time.

"There's not enough left to determine where it started," Fire Chief Mark Moulton said Saturday night, shortly after returning home from the daylong battle. "The fire marshal came in and did a little investigation," he said, but the extensive damage made it impossible to determine how or where it started.

He said the families who owned the five condominiums and the converted former lodge live outside Maine and were notified of the loss. The building was insured, he added.

The blaze on Severance Lodge Road off Route 5 was discovered shortly after 6 a.m. by Bruce Thurston from his home on Hoss Hill off Sabattus road, the chief said.

About two dozen firefighters from Lovell, Stoneham, Sweden and Saco Valley battled the flames using water from Kezar Lake.

"There was no getting it under control really," Moulton said.

"It was fully involved. It was more a matter of saving the buildings around it."

None of the firefighters were injured in the effort, he said.

The 50 acre property was owned for many years by the Severance family. It was originally known as Brown's Camps, Moulton said.

Severance Lodge Club general manager Michael Welch, who lives on the property, said Saturday night that the old wood framed building served as a dining hall and offices from the 1930s through the 1960s.

"I believe it was built in the 1920s," he said.

The 100 foot long, 60 foot wide building had been converted into five condos with a total of between 14 and 16 bedrooms.

Portions of it with 30 feet tall, Welch said.

The Severance Lodge Club property includes 35 homes, all individually owned and part of an association.

"There are buildings 25 feet away that the fire department was able to save," he said.

"I'm not sure the Fire Chief has patted himself on the back, but it was incredibly choreographed job".

Stoneman Fryeburg Rescue assisted, along with the Central Maine Power Company.

The Fire Department auxiliary was a great help Moulton said, bringing food and drinks, as did the Wicked Good Store and Rosie's Eatery.

"Rosie's donated some fine pizza," a hungry and admittedly grateful fire chief said.



This article appeared in its original form in the Sun Journal April 15, 2007.


Lakes: Kezar Lake
Regions: Sebago


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