SHELBURNE FALLS — Local businesses rallied to help a Shelburne Falls couple whose home caught fire Saturday night, providing them with a place to stay and getting started on repairs, while also providing snacks and drinks for firefighters.

At 9:15 p.m. on Saturday, firefighters with the Shelburne Falls Fire District were dispatched to 25 South Maple St., the home of Bruce and Marilyn Palmer, for a report of a fire, according to Fire Chief Herb Guyette. It took nearly 15 departments roughly two hours to get the blaze under control, and they remained at the property until approximately 1:30 a.m.

The home is currently uninhabitable, as it sustained major smoke and water damage, Guyette said.

Guyette said the fire started as a first-alarm chimney fire, but was upgraded to a second alarm to call more personnel to the scene as the fire spread to the exterior walls and attic.

Firefighters came from Shelburne, Buckland, Bernardston, Colrain, Greenfield, Charlemont, Conway, Ashfield, Turners Falls, Deerfield, Gill and Florida, as well as the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services. Shelburne Police, Massachusetts State Police and local EMS services also responded.

In addition to the various departments that responded, support came from local contractors J.S. Rae and Ouellette Carpentry. The companies worked to clear debris once the fire was extinguished, cover windows and support the structure.

“They were just trying to clean up the home and prevent further damage,” said Laura Ouellette, an office assistant with J.S. Rae.

Ouellette said business owner Joe Rae and other local contractors wanted to do what they could for the elderly couple. J.S. Rae and Ouellette Carpentry also provided coffee, water and snacks for the firefighters.

“It was a long night,” Ouellette said.

As Rae also owns the Sweetheart Inn, he provided Bruce and Marilyn Palmer with a place to stay over the weekend, Guyette said, and the couple moved in with neighbors on Tuesday.

Reach Madison Schofield at 413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.