Adams Investigating Suspicious Fire That Destroyed Seasonal Home

ADAMS, Mass. — Firefighters battled a suspicious structure fire on Gould Road on Saturday that resulted in a total loss of the building.

 

Assistant Fire Chief Tim Ziemba said the fie was already well underway when the department responded to 218 Gould Road around 4 p.m.

 

"It was about 50 percent involved when we got there and the remaining half of the house had flames within," he said. "Within 20 minutes it had pretty much gone through and collapsed ... it was a total loss and leveled right to the ground."

 

He said the building was a seasonal home and was vacant, however, this meant the driveway was not plowed making it more difficult to reach the structure. 

 

"The driveway was unplowed so we had to run, I am estimating, 1,000 feet through an unplowed driveway to get to the building," he said. "There was a considerable amount of time we couldn't drive to it."

 

Ziemba said water was also an issue and that without hydrants, the department had to utilize tankers.

 

"We had to use a tanker shuttle, which was set up another 500 feet below," Ziemba said. "They had a tanker shuttle set up. We pumped up about 500 feet up to another truck, which pumped up to the scene. So it took a whole lot to get that setup and get that rolling."

 

He said the cause of the fire is still under investigation but noted the blaze was suspicious. 

 

"It is suspicious and under investigation, I can't say anything further," he said. 

 

Firefighters remained on scene until about 10 p.m. on Saturday.

 

"The fire marshal was on scene and they conducted an investigation," he said. "We had to finish up hot spots after they were done ... it was labor-intensive and time-consuming."

 

The Adams Forest Wardens were also on scene as well as the Cheshire Fire department. Clarksburg firefighters covered the station.