GILL — A fire that destroyed a home at 37 Vassar Way early Wednesday morning is believed to be accidental in nature, according to Gill Fire Chief William Kimball.
Firefighters were dispatched at approximately 2:30 a.m., and saw heavy smoke and flames coming from the roof and windows upon arrival. Kimball said the home’s two residents initially called 911 when their smoke detectors sounded in the middle of the night.
“The initial call just came in as smoke alarms going off, possibly from a woodstove. By the time I got there, and I was first on scene, I rounded the corner and just saw a column of smoke and glowing coming from the windows and the door,” he said. “By the time I got down the hill to speak with the residents and make sure everybody was out safely, the entire eaves and windows and doorways all burst into flames. At that point, based on the fully involved condition of the fire, I knew there wasn’t going to be the ability to put firefighters inside.”
Without nearby fire hydrants, firefighters relied on water from Dry Brook. The water was pumped through a 1,500-foot-long supply hose to the residence.
Kimball said the home’s residents and two dogs were able to evacuate, and no one was injured in the more than two-hour process of extinguishing the fire.
Kimball added that initial results of an investigation led by the Gill Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal’s Office suggest that the fire started in the flue pipe and chimney of the woodstove, located in the center of the house, before spreading to the attic and throughout the home.
In addition to Gill, firefighters from departments and districts in Greenfield, Northfield, Bernardston, Turners Falls, Montague Center, Erving, South Deerfield and Deerfield assisted. Northfield EMS also responded.
“Unfortunately, based on the fully involved nature of the fire on arrival, only defensive exterior techniques could be utilized, and the building was mostly destroyed,” the Gill Fire Department wrote in a Facebook post. “Our condolences go out to the residents and owners of the house.”
The Gill Fire Department, in the social media post, thanked its mutual aid partners for their assistance, including the Shelburne Control Dispatch Center, American Red Cross, Eversource, Massachusetts State Police, the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services and the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Kimball reminds residents to check their smoke detectors regularly, explaining that functioning smoke alarms played a key role in preventing this fire from becoming fatal.
“Smoke detectors woke and alerted the residents,” he said. “I’d just like to express the importance of checking smoke detector batteries and making sure your smoke detectors are within 10 years old, as they clearly made a difference in making sure everyone was able to get out safely, and it wasn’t more of a tragic loss of life or any injuries.”
