Unity
Fire Chief Jeff Matthews said one firefighter was transported to Valley Regional Hospital for smoke inhalation and five people — parents and three children — were displaced. Only one person was home at the time and he got out safely.
“The Red Cross is going to provide assistance,” Matthews said.
The fire was called in just before 11:30 a.m. When the first crews arrived at 9 Page Road, Matthews said, heavy black smoke was coming from the mobile home, which is the first house on the road near the intersection with North Shore Road.
Firefighters first began knocking down the fire from the outside before being able to gain entry and extinguish the flames. Matthews said the three-bedroom home was a “total loss” with water and smoke damage throughout and heavy damage from the fire in the kitchen, living room and master bedroom. He also said the fire got up into the roof line and attic area.
The fire went to a second alarm, with Claremont; Newport; Lempster; Goshen; Marlow, N.H.; Washington; Acworth; the county sheriff’s department; and Golden Cross Ambulance responding.
Matthews said the cause was determined to be grease from something cooking on the stove that splattered and quickly caught the walls and cabinets on fire. “It spread rapidly,” he said.
Matthews said the person home at the time was able to get out safely with the family pets.
The fire was declared under control at 1 p.m. At the scene on Wednesday afternoon, the homeowner declined to comment.
It was Matthews’ first structure fire since he was appointed chief in early May. The former chief, Bruce Baker, and the rest of the department resigned in late April in a dispute with the town after a vote at the March Town Meeting that transferred authority for appointing the chief and firefighters to the Selectboard, a measure that will take effect next year.
Matthews said the department has 11 members, a few more than the former department did under Baker.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
