Fire has destroyed a home on Route 895 in Elgin.

Chief Kent Steeves says the structure was fully engulfed when they arrived just after 5 pm Sunday afternoon.

“It was a cottage or camp that had been renovated into a full-time residence,” Steeves says.

Around 40 firefighters from four departments,  Elgin, Petitcodiac, Havelock Fire and Penobsquis Fire, helped fight the blaze.

“With all of the ice and everything underneath, it was hard getting a footing.  We had to use a lot of traction sand and ice cleats, and getting up the hill of the driveway was a challenge.  Also with no hydrants, we had to shuttle water. We also had to set up a location at the nearby river for the pumps to fill the fire trucks to move water back and forth,” Chief Steeves adds.

Firefighters were on the scene for around four hours.

The Owner wasn’t home when the fire broke out, and Steeves says unfortunately a family pet was lost in the fire.

He expects it will be difficult to determine a cause, “Pretty much undetermined at this time and there’s really not a lot left to work with.”