December 2007 Fire
Three alarms needed to control fire in historic house
The Bedford Fire Department responded to a
reported house fire on South Road in the early morning hours of December 3,
2007. The initial response was only one engine, as the other crew was
tied up with a medical emergency. Additionally, the first snowstorm of
the season was blanketing the area, causing poor road conditions which
hampered efforts to get additional resources to the scene.
On arrival, there was a smoke condition throughout the house, and evidence of fire in the first and second floor walls adjacent to the fire place and chimney. The house was approximately 180 years old and had many void spaces that concealed the fire.
Bedford firefighters, along with crews from Burlington, Billerica, Concord and Hanscom AFB, conducted an aggressive interior attack and were able to contain the majority of the fire to the second floor and attic. The historic house should be repairable with approximately $250,000 of damage.
One resident was transported to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation.
Chelmsford Fire provided station coverage, and Armstrong Ambulance provided emergency medical transport and standby treatment at the scene.
© 2003-07 bedfordfire.org