Williamstown Garage Fire Snuffed Out

According to Fire Chief Craig Pedercini, no one was injured in the afternoon blaze and mutual aid was called in from Pownal, Vt. and Clarksburg.

 

Firefighters arrived to a fully involved structure fire and were able to knock it down quickly using Class A foam. The garage was destroyed but they were able to stop the flames from spreading to the attached home.

 

"We got called for a structure fire at 924 Henderson Road and while we were enroute here, we learned it was a garage fire and it was attached to house," Pedercini.

 

"When we arrived here it was a pretty full involvement of the garage. We called in mutual aid from Pownal (Vt.) and Clarksburg."

 

Firefighters drew water from a pond near the property after using more than 2,000 gallons of water in the initial response. The home is the last one on the road.

 

"Establishing our water supply at the pond was very important," Pedercini said. 

 

There are two adults and four or five children living in the home, Pedercini, and all escaped the structure. According to land records, the home is owned by James and Judith Turgeon.

 

The chief said there was heavy fire on the right side of the garage, which was the side closest to the house, and stopping the fire from spreading was the first priority.

 

"Initially we only had three, four, five of us to start the initial attack. But once [more] get here and you get mutual aid, you have a lot of good resources and [the firefighters are] doing a good job," the chief said.

 

He added, "The house looks pretty much untouched."

 

Pedercini said the owner had a wood burning stove in the garage, which could have caused the fire, but a state fire marshall will be on scene to determine the cause later. He said he isn't sure if the home owner has another source of heating.

 

Being a garage fire, Pedercini said firefighters also had to identify and find such hazards as a propane tank for a gas grill and pulled a tank from the blaze before it harmed anybody. 

 

"That is a grave concern when firefighters are up close and pulling things apart," Pedercini said.