Chelsea business still aims to donate home after devastating fire

CHELSEA, Maine — Charred wooden window panels, destroyed roofing and metal slates are what remains after a building and several sheds caught fire Sunday at New England Rent to Own in Chelsea, and despite the total loss, the owners said they are still committed to giving.

Long before being struck by this unexpected tragedy, the company's owners pledged to donate a new mobile home to one of the winners of an essay contest.

Co-owner Bobby Miller said Maine's current housing crisis leaves few options for people who can't afford to buy a home. After analyzing the company's resources, Miller said he and co-owner Jeremy Turner decided to be a blessing to a family in need.

“A lot of people can't necessarily afford it, even though there's a great need for housing, and we all need it,” Miller said.

For many businesses, suffering a total loss following a fire could have derailed their donation plans.

A building and around ten hangars were destroyed in the fire. The state fire marshal's office said the fire broke out in the part of the company's warehouse where lithium batteries were stored.

As he drove the car with friends and family home from church Sunday, New England Rent to Own CEO Jon Henderson said a pillar of smoke in the air caught his attention .

“We were talking and I said, 'Man, I really feel bad for whoever's house it is,'” Henderson said. “And as we got closer, I started to understand and I said, 'Uh oh, that's probably where I work.'

Henderson said it took about 10 minutes for everything to be destroyed by flames.

The business was closed on Sunday and there were no staff on site at the time. No one was injured, but employees returned to work after a long weekend of Memorial Day destruction.

“We had clients who had their buildings built and completed inside the building, and they were supposed to be delivered today,” Henderson said. “The staff usually worked in the main manufacturing plant. We were fortunate and fortunate that there was no one here when this happened. You can always replace products. We can always rebuild What you can't replace is people. People are our most valuable asset in business.

Many assets were destroyed, but owners and managers said they were not derailed.

“I think it’s pretty reassuring for our staff to let them know that we’re developing a plan for them,” Miller said.

Some 25 to 30 permanent employees will continue to work and rebuild, under normal hours. Miller said they also have a few contract employees working on site.

He said it was too early to determine how much revenue was lost in the fire or to share a clear, detailed plan for how the business would rebuild.

Miller added that his priority is to continue to take care of his staff. Despite the losses, Miller said the company will keep its word to support a family in need with a mobile home.

“I think for any business that experiences a fire, it's an unforeseen setback, but our goal of giving away a home is not going to change because of the fire,” Miller said.

Henderson recalled his first thoughts when Turner proposed the idea of ​​getting him a mobile home.

“You know, as the general manager, my first thought was, 'How are we going to pay for this,' and he said, 'We're going to figure it out. We're going to do it,'” Henderson said. . “This is what needs to happen, because of the desperate situation that exists. Maine is in crisis right now. Maine is in a housing crisis.”

Henderson said several people sent in essays to enter the competition and the stories people shared with them were heartbreaking.

Miller and other leaders said they are committed to meeting that need.

“It's just something that we deeply believe in. You know, if we set a goal, we're not going to change the path,” Miller said.

While counting their blessings, they will prepare to return the favor to a lucky family. Owners and managers said they hope to be able to offer the winning family the new mobile home by October or later this year.

“The fact that this happened on a day when we were closed is definitely a blessing,” Henderson said. “At the end of the day, someone is going to get it, and it’s going to be a huge blessing to that person.”

New England Rent to Own is still accepting essays for the competition. See below for instructions on how to participate.

To enter, click this link and upload an essay or video to the dropbox.

For a virtual tour of the house, click here.

Video submissions must be five minutes or less. If you are submitting an essay, it must be three pages or less. You must show proof of residency with a photo ID. If you win the contest, the mobile home must be delivered to a Maine address or location. You must have existing land with a slab to accommodate the new house.

Entries for the competition will close once the company reaches 1,000 applications. The deadline to enter the competition is September 1, 2024.

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