Although it is still standing, the building, which dates back to the year 1900, was largely destroyed by extensive fire, smoke and water damage throughout.
WHITE RIVER JUNCTION - At least ten people, including a two-year-old, have been displaced from their apartments following a three-alarm fire that broke out on Barnes Avenue at the base of Schoolhouse Hill just before 11 a.m. on Tuesday.
The blaze killed two dogs and injured one firefighter who was treated at the scene, but residents and firefighters managed to save at least one cat, two snakes and a dog from the rapidly advancing flames.
When the first fire truck arrived at 40 Barnes Avenue just after 11 a.m. Tuesday morning, fire had already overtaken the rear apartment on the second floor and was blowing out onto the upstairs porch, but smoke could also be seen pushing from the eaves all around the two-and-a-half story building. All photos © Eric Francis.
Hartford Fire Chief Scott Cooney said the fire did not appear to be suspicious, but state investigators will join the effort Wednesday morning to try to determine the origin and cause of the incident, which ultimately destroyed all six-apartments in the 125-year old building.
Most of the residents were already at work at places that included Dartmouth Health, the post office, and the Hanover Inn when the fire broke out, but one resident was sleeping in the top floor apartment and barely made it out in the nick of time thanks to the efforts of neighbors to wake him.
Fire consumed a third floor apartment, killing several pet reptiles as well as two dogs which were elsewhere in the six-unit apartment house but two snakes, a dog, and at least one cat were rescued.
Chief Cooney said fire crews initially tried an interior attack but quickly encountered heavy fire in the walls combined with what he described as borderline “hoarding conditions” in one of the apartments that left them unable to safely reach the seat of the fire. Firefighters were ordered out of the building and moved to a “defensive attack” from the exterior using a ladder pipe and some handlines from the ground.
Firefighters from the three full-time departments of Hartford, Lebanon and Hanover were joined by volunteers from Windsor, Woodstock and Pomfret on the Vermont side and Plainfield and Meriden from New Hampshire while Hartland provided station coverage. The American Red Cross also sent several team members to help the displaced residents.
The building was previously used for stage crew housing by Northern Stage but was sold to local developer Mike Davidson in 2017 and it is operated by Ledgeworks Property Management.
Photos follow:
A firefighter on the tip of aerial ladder truck positions a deluge nozzle as smoke rolls from the eves near the peak of the roof.
Hanover firefighters worked in thick smoke to attach a specialized nozzle to a hose during the fire attack.
Two sisters, who lived in neighboring apartments, watched in disbelief Tuesday as the fire relentlessly spread throughout the attic spaces above the upper floors
As heavy rain fell Hartford Police Officer Peter Cronin handed over a cat named “Gypsy” after she was rescued by firefighters from a ground floor apartment
Windsor Fire Chief Kevin McAllister carried a ball python that was rescued from the top floor as he took it to be reunited with its owner.