Electrical fire destroys Rochester family home

ROCHESTER—On Saturday, Jan. 7, at approximately 11:15 p.m. the Rochester Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 354 Brandon Mountain Road in Rochester. The property was later identified as owned by Joseph and Rita Mailhiot.
A passerby had seen the fire while driving by the home and called 911.
Upon the first arrival of fire personnel they found the home to be unoccupied and engulfed in flames, which had broken through the roof of the rear of the house. The home was completely destroyed and partially collapsed during fire fighting efforts. Damages were estimated at approximately $500,000. No people were injured in the fire, although two family dogs were home and died as result of the fire, police reported.
The fire chief of Rochester fire department contacted the state police/fire investigative unit and requested an origin-and-cause investigation of the fire after gathering some information about the fire and the residence, which had not been occupied at the time of the fire. A detective from the state police and an investigator from the division of fire safety responded to the scene on Jan. 8.
The investigators have determined that the fire cause was electrical.