WELLSBORO - The log home of Jacob and Barb West, 278 Cobble Hill Road, Delmar Township, was completely destroyed by fire Sunday.
The remote home, about 10 to 12 miles from Wellsboro, had been burning for some time before it was called in by a resident in the area, according to Wellsboro fire chief Bobby McCarthy.
No one was home at the time of the fire, he added.
Because the home was so completely destroyed, McCarthy said they were unable to determine a cause or even where the fire may have started.
"It would be tough to make the determination of what happened. It had a large head start on us. I was the first one on scene and it was very close to the roof collapsing so it had definitely been going for awhile," he added, noting that smoke could be seen from the borough as he drove to the scene.
There was no nearby water source, so McCarthy said firefighters had to run 2,000 feet of hose to a pond about a mile and a half away and then had tankers shuttle water.
About 40 firefighters from Morris, Mansfield, Middlebury, Liberty and Chatham responded to the 4 p.m. dispatch, McCarthy said.
The couple, both school teachers in the Wellsboro district, has four young children, and they lost "everything but the clothes on their backs," he added.
In addition to the house and all its contents, McCarthy said a large fifth wheel camper parked next to the house also was destroyed.
A pickup truck, another camper and a motorcycle were moved by neighbors, McCarthy said.
The family is staying with relatives and no injuries were reported.
"We got the fire out and left the scene about 8 p.m. but were back 3 times for flare ups," McCarthy said.
