Litchfield Garage Fully Engulfed In Fire Spreads To House Displaces 8

LITCHFIELD, NH — Litchfield Fire, and police responded to a report of a garage attached to a house on fire on Winter Circle Saturday.

Responders arrived at 12 Winter Circle at about 9:10 a.m., and the garage and several vehicles were engulfed in heavy fire. A second alarm was requested, bringing multiple fire departments from surrounding cities and towns for assistance at the scene and station coverage.

The fire quickly spread into the living area of the house, and fire crews worked to keep the fire from spreading. Heavy winds at the time of the fire spread embers into wooded areas creating small brush fires that firefighters had to contend with.

Five people and three dogs escaped safely from the house and watched from nearby as crews battled the blaze. A smoke detector alerted the family, who was unaware of the fire, giving them time to escape safely.

The Salvation Army was called to the scene to assist the residents. A total of eight people resided in the house, and only five were home at the time of the fire.

Fire destroyed the garage, which was a pile of burning rubble, and surrounded cars that were still burning more than an hour after the initial fire.

After the bulk of the fire was under control firefighters entered the house and saved personal belongings, including computers, framed photos, the ashes of someone in a memorial box, clothes, and a safe.

The house is not inhabitable and was being boarded up and secured Saturday afternoon.

Litchfield Fire Chief Doug Nicoli believes the fire started in the garage, but the exact cause is under investigation.

No civilians or firefighters were injured in the incident, which brought over 50 firefighters to the scene.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com/news