CANAAN — A wood stove is suspected to have caused a fast-moving fire Friday night that leveled the Bruce Road wood shop of a Canaan Selectboard member.
But the fire at Al Posnanski’s property caused “so much destruction, it’s hard to tell,” Canaan Fire Chief Bill Bellion said Saturday afternoon. “There’s too much ruin to be able to say for sure exactly where it started. It’s such a mess.”
Firefighters from a half-dozen departments responded around 8:45 p.m. Friday for a fully involved fire in the five-bay structure near Posnanski’s home off Route 4 in downtown Canaan.
Posnanski’s home of 30 years was spared, but his business, Posnanski’s Custom Woodworking, was destroyed. Nobody was injured.
At least one vehicle could be seen in the rubble, only its charred frame remaining.
Bellion said the shop was too far gone by the time crews made it to the scene. The structure was reportedly reduced to a skeleton in about 15 minutes. Bellion said a fire had been started in the wood stove earlier in the day.
A thick plume of white smoke billowed from the ashes for hours. The road leading to the Posnanski property soon resembled an ice skating rink as water from the fire hoses rushed across it.
Subzero temperatures hampered firefighting efforts, but by 9:45 p.m. the flames were knocked down and firefighters were working on extinguishing hot spots.
“The biggest challenge is making sure everyone is safe,” Bellion said at the scene on Friday as he watched firefighters move cautiously to avoid slipping on ice.
Crews from Canaan, Enfield, Grafton, Lebanon and Hanover responded, while additional crews provided station coverage.
At the scene, Posnanski said he’s been woodworking for 65 years. He makes a range of products and specializes in cabinetry. The shop was insured, he said.
The fire is not considered suspicious, Bellion said, and the investigation is closed.
Jared Pendak contributed to this report. Jordan Cuddemi can be reached at 603-727-3248 or jcuddemi@vnews.com.