A blaze that hit a house on Mack Mountain Road in Peacham Tuesday morning had firefighters using chain saws and other tools to rip into the roof and walls to vent, find and exterminate the fire.
The five-alarm fire started in an unoccupied Cape-style house, gutting the second floor and damaging some of the first floor.
A passer-by noticed the fire and reported smoke coming from the attic.
Although the cause of the fire is undetermined at this time, there is no reason to believe it was suspicious, Peacham Fire Chief Jeff Berwick said. It might have been an electrical fire, as the house did have electricity going to it, he added.
Firefighters believe it started at about 7:15 a.m. in the back of the house, where the main structure attaches to a smaller one.
The house, which was insured, is a seasonal home owned by David and Minny Mooney of Westport, Conn.
About 30 firefighters from Peacham, Barnet, Ryegate, St. Johnsbury, Danville and Groton departments responded to the initial blaze; Walden Fire Department responded to help finish off little hot spots inside the house.
The first firefighters arrived on the scene at 7:40 a.m., said Berwick.
When Berwick arrived on the scene smoke was showing from the eves of the main house and kitchen area. The fire, which started in a closet room off a downstairs bedroom, went up the outside wall where the two parts of the house join in the back and then into the attic, Berwick said.
Firefighters were able to contain it to the attic.
Peacham firefighter Steve Kimball was the first firefighter inside the attic. "We hit it as hard as we could, but it's a weird structure inside, which makes it hard to get around in," he said.
Firefighters used chain saws to cut vent holes in the roof and side, to allow smoke and heat to escape, Berwick said.
It also allowed them to hose water down onto the fire, which they knocked down in about 30 minutes, Berwick said.
One firefighter was injured. Peter Craig of Peacham suffered a slight injury when a cement block landed on his foot. The foot was wrapped and he was up and about shortly.
After more than an hour of fighting small fires spread throughout the house, Berwick was calling in reinforcements from Walden to help tear and rip walls in the interior of the house.
"It (the fire) gets above the ceiling and it gets trapped up there," said Barnet Assistant Chief Wayne Achilles. "You have to tear (at) the rafters and studs to get at it."
Although first-floor fire damage was contained to one corner of the bedroom, it did have smoke and water damage throughout, Berwick said.
Peacham EMS workers and Danville Rescue were on scene, helping provide water and snack food for the firefighters. They also checked the firefighters' health when they emerged from the burning house.
Firefighters stood by until 2 p.m. Tuesday to make sure the fire was completely out.
