Fire destroys two-story house in Fairhope

Jan. 19--FAIRHOPE -- A second home was consumed by fire Tuesday morning -- to the extent that finding a cause may be impossible, responders said.

Firefighters from Berlin Volunteer Fire Company received the call around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, and the two-story house was all but destroyed when they arrived to the remote location at 123 Beck Lane, Berlin fire Chief Bill Miller said.

"When we got there, the walls and roof were already inside the foundation," he said.

"There was not much we could do. It must have started fairly early."

No one was home when the fire broke out, Miller said, and it would have been difficult to see from the nearest homes. A passerby called in the fire early Tuesday, he said.

The house, owned by Max Pavlovich, was a total loss, Miller said. Pavlovich, of Johnstown, did not immediately respond to a call for comment.

Fire crews quelled what was left of the fire in frigid temperatures, with Berlin EMS on standby, though no one was injured during the response. They cleared the scene around noon, Miller said.

"We rotated them in and out of the trucks to keep warm," he said.

Miller said the fire marshal will not be investigating.

"It would be really hard to determine a cause," he said.

"It's totally destroyed, a total loss."

The homeowner has insurance, Miller said.

Kecia Bal is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow her on Twitter @KeciaBKay.

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