ASHFIELD — The source of Friday night’s fire that burned an Ashfield home and two external structures has been determined, said Ashfield Fire Chief Del Haskins.
The owner of a house, barn and shed at 314 Norton Hill Road, Joan Arsenault, had placed woodstove coals into a cardboard box and moved them to the shed, Haskins said, where the coals proceeded to ignite the shed.
The shed was located between the house and the barn, all of which were connected, Haskins said, due to the “antique” style of construction.
The fire, Haskins said, “started in the shed, then moved to the barn and the house. It spread both ways.”
By the time the fire department arrived, the shed, barn and half of the house were already gone, he said. The weather aided the fire.
“The wind didn’t help that night,” Haskins said, adding that it swirled the fire, making it appear like “a mini tornado.”
“Everything” was lost, Haskins said, including two tractors, a car and the contents of the dwellings.
No causalities were reported, but the home was uninsured, Haskins said. Arsenault’s pet cat and dog are safe, though it’s unclear how they made it out of the house. As of Tuesday, Haskins said Arsenault is staying with neighbors.
A passerby originally reported the fire at around 7:55 p.m., Haskins said, adding that Arsenault returned to her house minutes after Haskins arrived to the scene.
Eleven fire departments responded to the scene at 314 Norton Hill Road, alongside Ashfield. They were Buckland, Charlemont, Colrain, Conway, Cummington, Deerfield, Goshen, Plainfield, Shelburne Falls, South Deerfield, and Williamsburg.
An additional state rehabilitation truck, which provided support for firefighters, like food and water, also responded, Haskins said.
This was the first cold-weather fire of the season, he said, adding that in the sub-freezing temperatures on Friday, it was important to keep water continuously running through the fire hoses so they wouldn’t freeze.
Haskins provided the example of a fire hose that the Ashfield Fire Department didn’t need and set aside on the lawn. Seven and a half hours later, when they returned to put the hose back in the truck, it was frozen.
Reach Maureen O’Reilly at moreilly@recorder.com or at 413-772-0261, ext. 280.