ENFIELD — A stretch of Shaker Hill Road between Main Street and Pillsbury Street in the heart of Enfield was closed to traffic on Monday afternoon as the Enfield Fire Department and other responders worked to extinguish a fire at a duplex residence on Wells Street that was in the process of being sold.
The Enfield Fire Department said it was dispatched to the address at 1:07 p.m. and issued a news alert at about 3:30 p.m. via Facebook that responders were continuing at work to contain the fire.
There were no occupants at home at the time of the fire, Enfield Fire Chief Phil Neily said in the update.
Records at the Grafton County Registry of Deeds office show that the deed for the property to 17 Wells St., was transferred back last year to a limited liability company controlled by John P. Carr, who lives at 16 Wells St., and was the prior owner of the property.
“The building was totally destroyed,” Carr said on Monday night, noting that fire departments from Canaan, Lebanon, Hanover, Grantham and Springfield also responded.
He said one of the two rental units did not currently have a tenant.
Carr said he had recently taken back the property from the owner he sold it to 10 years ago and was “in the process of transferring it” to another party when Monday’s fire broke out.
Carr said investigators had as of Monday not determined the fire’s cause and origin.
The structure was built in 1880, and the fire spread quickly, said Carr, who lives across the street.
— Staff report