Alicia Abbott had hoped to soon call 455 Childs Road (County Road 7724) home. After she and Grover Poole, the owner of the house and several acres that surround it, had discussed her living there, Abbott spent free time cleaning and making the unoccupied house look, once again, like a home.

“We had just gotten it looking cleaned up,” she said Sunday.

Abbott arrived Sunday afternoon to find flames shooting out from the tin roof. She grabbed a bucket and tried throwing water and extinguishing the fire, but it was no use. The house was fully engulfed by the time firefighters arrived.

One firefighter reported that the flames were twice the size of the oak trees that surrounded the house for decades. Every firefighter in Troy worked to put out the fire.

“It was beautiful. It had original wood floors,” Abbott said. “It could’ve been restored beautifully. It just needed a little TLC.”

In more than 100 years since the house was built, the home had seen several occupants and even more memories. About 40 years of those memories belonged to Poole.

“I raised my family in that house,” he said, watching firefighters squelch the last of the flames.

Poole, who lived down the street, said he will not rebuild.

“You can’t insure a house like that,” he said.