With rising insurance rates forcing many homeowners to reconsider coverage, one local resident’s recent experience underscores the risks of going uninsured.
Ashley Gouin lost her family home in Brooktrails to a fire in late January. The residence, an English Tudor-style house known locally as the “castle house,” had been in her family for generations. Gouin had been preparing to sell the property when disaster struck.
“It was a great home to grow up in. I have so many memories, so many different family members, generations of family,” Gouin said. “We were just fixing it up when the fire happened.”
In a Go Fund Me post, Gouin's sister who also lived in the house along with Gouin's two daughters and their mother, describes how their mother woke everyone up and got them out safely.
The fire, which started due to a mechanical issue in the home’s heating system, destroyed the roof and left the property uninhabitable.
According to the United States Fire Administration, heating-related incidents are the second-leading cause of residential fires, following cooking-related incidents.
Without insurance, Gouin relied on the Red Cross, United Disaster Relief, and friends and neighbors for assistance.
Despite the devastation, Gouin remains hopeful about rebuilding. She expressed gratitude for community support and said she plans to give back as she works to restore her home.
“So many people have come to this home to heal, to grow, to move forward in their lives,” she said. “I’m hoping we get a new roof, and with grants, materials, and some help, we can start fixing it day by day.”