Middletown Springs (Rutland) - Working Fire - 03/22/08

[BFD1054 1,552]

Date: 03-22-08

Time: 0900hrs

Location: Rt. 133/Rt. 140, Village of Middletown Springs

Frequency:

Units Operating: Middletown Springs FD/EMS, Ira FD, Poultney FD, Wells FD (Tanker), Granville (NY) FD w/Ladder 292, Poultney Rescue Squad, Granville (NY) Rescue Squad, Central Vermont Public Service (Utilities).

Description Of Incident: Working Fire in a commercial garage.

Writer: BFD1054

0900hrs-MSFD dispatched for reported structure fire at the old Parker's Garage. Units arrive to find heavy fire conditions pushing from the two-bay garage. Mutual-aid immediately requested for manpower, a Ladder and a Tanker for water source.

*This is the town where my fiancee was raised and where her parents still live. We happened to be in town (unfortunately for a funeral and Easter) when this fire occured. The fire station is litterally behind my fiancee's parents house and the fire building is visible from their house as well. Some of her family members are members of the FD, including uncles that are former Chiefs and her grandmother who is President of the Ladies Auxiliary. So when the fire whistle blew, everyone woke up, including my fiancee to tell me there was a fire.

Unfortunately, the fire building was owned by my fiancee's family and had been a big part of the town for close to 100 years.

The owner of the building had closed the business and had been trying to sell the garage in recent years. He was there working on his personal car when the furnace caught fire. He was slightly injured, but managed to escape and run next door to the general store to call the FD.

The garage was a total loss and was knocked down later in the afternoon, but a storage garage containing flamable materials that was only feet away, was spared.

I have a bunch of pictures and will try and show some of them.