WILTON – A wood stove apparently set off a fire that destroyed a home on Abbot Hill Road on Thanksgiving Day, killing the residents’ dog.

No one was home when the fire started at 259 Abbott Hill Road, not far from the entrance to the Pine Hill Waldorf School. The house is set back from the road, and by the time fire crews arrived, the fire had spread to the second floor of the open concept home and burned through to the basement.

Wilton Fire Chief Jim Cutler said the house was a total loss even though its shell is intact.

The homeowners discovered the fire when they returned home at around 7:40 p.m. on Thursday, said the chief, who called in a second alarm when he arrived at the scene, as cold weather and low manpower due to the holiday were a concern.

Responding to the fire were departments from Milford, Wilton, Lyndeborough, Temple, Mont Vernon, Greenville and Mason.

Fire crews were able to contain the fire and get it under control within about an hour, and spent several more hours on the scene monitoring for hot spots, before clearing the scene at about 10:30 p.m.

The couple that owns the home has a second residence where they will be staying, the chief said.

The fire is under investigation. Cutler said they think something burnable was too near the stove.

“It’s important to make sure nothing” like wood or furniture is near the stove, he said, and have the chimney and stove inspected regularly.

Leaving the stove burning when the house is empty is a very common practice, the chief said, “but I wouldn’t recommend it.”