Winchendon fire destroys barn, burns two acres: what firefighters warn

Firefighters are reminding residents of dangerous fire conditions in the area after a fire destroyed a barn and burned two acres in Winchendon over the weekend.

A call reporting an “out of control camp fire” at 815 Alger St. was received by the Winchendon Fire Department at 2:47 p.m. Saturday, according to Chief Tom Smith. He said the first responding crews found a barn heavily engulfed in flames.

“It was a medium-sized barn with no animals inside,” Smith said. “We ended up immediately calling for a second alarm due to the high winds and drought.”

The flames spread to nearby brush, according to Smith, and departments from across the region, including Gardner, Westminster, Templeton, Phillipston, Hubbardston and Ashburnham, were dispatched to the scene to try to contain the fire. Firefighters from Jaffrey, New Hampshire, and Keene, New Hampshire, also responded to the scene.

Because the property was outside the water district, crews created what is called a “tanker shuttle group,” in which tanker trucks continually run from a water fill site to at the scene of the fire, Smith said.

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Bystanders helped contain the fire

A few passers-by also intervened to help, he added.

“We had a neighbor who grabbed a leaf blower and was able to keep the leaves and some flames away from a neighbor’s house, as well as another neighbor who grabbed a garden hose and helped to keep the flames away from the house,” he said. said.

Gardner Fire Chief Greg Lagoy said he was on scene early enough to see the flames spreading quickly from the garage’s point of origin.

“The wind and drought spread the fire to neighboring properties, threatening at least one house,” Lagoy said. “He almost crossed Algiers Street, but the rapid intervention of the firefighters stopped the spread.”

More: Gardner Officials Ban All Outdoor Fires in Town: Here’s Why

Besides the barn and a small shed, which were completely destroyed, the fire burned approximately two acres of brush, a blaze that kept firefighters busy for several hours.

“There were a number of houses in the area, but we managed to contain them enough to keep them in two acres of brush,” Smith said.

The last teams cleared the scene around 10:30 p.m.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation

No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire remains under investigation, Smith said. Investigators are still trying to determine the estimated cost of the damage.

Several local fire departments have banned all outdoor burning due to dry and windy conditions in the area, and Smith said firefighters did not issue these kinds of warnings lightly.

“This (fire) is an example of how easily a fire spreads in these conditions, especially with wind,” Smith said. “It’s been so windy lately that any morning dew is immediately dried up, and until we get a good amount of rain, I anticipate we’ll be under the red flag for a little while.”

“The forecast for this week is not favorable, with little rain and strong winds,” added Lagoy. “We really need several inches of rain to alleviate the current high fire risk conditions.”

The ban on any type of open fire/flame outdoors will remain in effect until further notice, Lagoy said.

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Winchendon Fire Destroys Barn, Burns Brush, Drought Concerns Persist