PLESSIS — A farmhand and his girlfriend are homeless following a wind-blown blaze Saturday afternoon that swept through the two-story home they occupied on the Raymond Papin farm, County Route 3.

Firefighters had to go into “defensive mode” in battling the blaze because of the strong winds and the structure’s metal roof, said Plessis Fire Chief Les Stanton. Nobody was injured, but the residents, Tyler J. McCargar, 19, and Savarah A. Wright, lost two cats and all their belongings, including Christmas gifts.

The blaze, cause undetermined, erupted at the rear of the structure near the kitchen, where a garage was attached, Mr. Stanton said. The garage, in which a utility vehicle was housed, already was destroyed when fire units arrived, he said.

Responding to the 1:51 p.m. alarm to assist Plessis firefighters were volunteer companies from Clayton, Depauville, Evans Mills, LaFargeville, Fishers Landing, Alexandria Bay, Pamelia, Redwood and Theresa.

The structure, owned by the Papin farm, was insured, but the couple, having lived there nearly four months, did not have renters’ insurance, Mr. Stanton said.

Mr. McCargar said he was sleeping and was awakened by smoke. He ran outdoors to summon help, but found that some other people were there and already had called in the alarm, he said.

A Red Cross volunteer also responded to offer assistance to the couple. Miss Wright, a hairdresser, was at work at the time, Mr. McCargar said.

The couple is temporarily staying with a relative, he said.

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