ORANGE — A one-story home at 5 Hillside Terrace was destroyed in the early morning hours today. There were no injuries to people, but a pet cat died. Another cat survived.
Orange Fire Chief James Young said the building’s two occupants, both adults, work nights and were not home in the pre-dawn hours when the fire started. The fire was called in by a neighbor at 4:19 a.m.
The chief said the American Red Cross was on the scene at noon and is working with the occupants to make temporary living arrangements.
Young said the fire started in the area of the home’s chimney, where a wood stove was on. The two-alarm fire was under control by roughly 7 a.m., and fire crews from about a half dozen departments – which included Athol – left the scene at about 9:30.
Hazardous conditions, including temperatures below zero, added to the challenge, according to a statement from the Fire Department.
“First-arriving crews tagged a hydrant across the street, while stretching one-and-three-quarters handlines to initiate fire attack,” according to the Fire Department. “Additional crews attempted to make entry through the front door, however were pushed back once ceilings started to collapse.”
Fire conditions “started to deteriorate rapidly,” according to the Fire Department, with the roof collapsing. Crews then entered the rear of the home to search for victims, clearing the house’s two bedrooms and retrieving the survived cat from the home.
“Crews encountered sub-zero temperatures, and hose lines, equipment and personnel were iced-over, hindering operations. However, there were no injuries to any firefighters or civilians and the cause of the fire is determined to originate from the area of the chimney for the wood stove,” according to the Fire Department.