Homeowners Kelly and Antonio Estremera knew there was something wrong when the garage doors at their home on Pinetree Road opened suddenly at 4 a.m. Friday.
It woke them up, and when they looked out a window they saw flames in their garage.
"The fire shorted out the electrical," causing the garage doors to open, Assistant Fire Chief Chris Dore said Friday.
Police officers were the first to arrive at the home, which is off Wiswell Road. They found the garage engulfed in flames.
"When we arrived, the [garage] roof had collapsed and the house was on fire," Dore said.
The garage is not connected to the house, but was close enough that the heat from the fire caused the siding to ignite.
"The garage is a total loss," Dore said. "The outside of the home is heavily damaged, but the inside is in pretty good shape."
The Estremeras were able to escape without injury, and none of the 19 firefighters was injured, Dore said. Crews from Holden, Eddington and Orrington also responded.
Since there are no hydrants on Pinetree Road, tankers were used to fight the flames, Dore said. He said there is a dry hydrant connected to Felts Brook, but it would have taken a lot of hose to reach the two-story house.
Brewer firefighters were back in their station at 7 a.m.
Fire investigator Dennis Pinkham was at the house later Friday trying to determine the cause, Dore said.
