Fast Moving Fire Destroys Historic N.H. Barns

NORTH HAMPTON, N.H. --

Two historic barns were destroyed in an early-morning fire in North Hampton on Wednesday.

Residents said the barns had been standing for hundreds of years and contained a number of vehicles. Space had also been rented to a person raising chickens in the barns, and the chickens died in the fire.

"I was sleeping, and I heard an explosion, and that apparently was my boat," said homeowner Peter Corbett.

Corbett said that when he looked out the window about 4 a.m., his barns were on fire. He said he acted quickly to try to keep the fire from spreading to the house.

"I knew it wouldn't take very long for the whole barn to go because it was so old, so I moved the vehicles to get them out of the way," he said.

A neighbor said the fire and a series of smaller explosions woke him up.

"Lots of crackling sounds and some ammunition going off," said neighbor Dennis Morrell.

The fire at 134 Walnut Ave. was about seven miles from the fire station. Chief Dennis Cote said that when firefighters arrived, there was no chance to save the two barns, so they concentrated on the house.

"The guys came in and put a protection line in between as soon as they got the water established," Cote said. "They did a good job. No fire got into the house. It did melt some of the siding, and it did crack some of the windows."

Cote said it took about an hour to get the two-alarm fire under control. No firefighters were injured.

As he watched firefighters sift through the rubble, Corbett said the loss was just beginning to sink in.

"I had five motorcycles, a Model A truck, a Jeep, two full-size tractors," he said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Cote said there were some heating lamps being used to keep the chickens warm, and the fire may have started in that area.

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