HEATH — A summer home at 82 Long Hill Road was destroyed by a late night fire, despite efforts by seven fire departments in Franklin County and southern Vermont to save it.
“We are devastated,” owners Kerry and Michael Kennedy of Rhode Island wrote in an email Thursday. The couple bought the property in 2004, and began building in 2012 with Habitat Post and Beam of South Deerfield.
According to interim Fire Chief Nick Anzuoni, the fire was reported late Wednesday, shortly before midnight, by a passerby and was “already fully involved.” Some neighbors later told firefighters they “heard something,” but didn’t see the flames because of the heavy foliage.
The Kennedys say they were notified of the fire by a neighbor who told them a motorcyclist honked to get residents’ attention so someone would call 911. There is limited to no cell phone service in the neighborhood.
“It was a total loss,” Anzuoni said of the home. The Kennedys said a Jeep Wrangler parked in the garage was also destroyed. The fire chief said the cause of the fire may be difficult to determine because the house was so fully burned. It was unoccupied, and no one was injured.
The Kennedys said they had been to the home almost twice per month for vacations. “We love the area,” they wrote. They said they were not in Heath at the time of the fire.
“We are so thankful no one was hurt,” they wrote.
They said they traveled to Heath on Thursday to see the devastation, having last been there this past weekend.
Fire departments from Heath, Rowe, Colrain, Charlemont, Buckland and from Whitingham and Halifax, Vt. responded with tankers and help, while Greenfield Fire Department provided station coverage. Firefighters were on the scene until 4 a.m. Thursday.
“Please extend our gratitude to all responding fire personnel. We are grateful for their help in maintaining the spread of the fire,” the Kennedys wrote. “We are also appreciative of our neighbors and the outpouring of support. Heath is a wonderful small hill town. We love Heath.”
During the night, police guided tankers at the intersection of Dell Road and West Main Street, which became the dirt way that is Long Hill Road. Fire trucks from could be seen hauling water from the direction of Heath Brook.