Two Barns And Hauler Destroyed In Williamstown Fire
 A hauler used to transport motorcycles was completely gutted. |
Shortly after 2 a.m. firefighters responded to the fully-engulfed fire at 295 Blair Road, owned by Eric Reinhard, and focused their attention to saving a third and larger barn that was threatened.
"The big concern was saving the big barn," Fire Chief Craig Pedercini said Wednesday afternoon. "Our water supply was concentrated on that building."
The barns were old - at one point in time they were servant's quarters - and the fire moved quickly through them, Pedercini said. By the time firefighters arrived on the scene, the hauler and the smaller barn were engulfed in flames, he said. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
"The fire moved relatively quickly," Pedercini said. "The radiant heat set the second barn on fire."
The property is outside of the fire district and tankers from Pownal, Vt., Clarksburg, Hancock, New Ashford and Lanesborough were called in to assist pumping in water. Engine companies from Clarksburg and Pownal, Vt. were also on scene fighting the blaze and the North Adams Department was on call in the Williamstown station.
Once establishing the water supply, firefighters kept the fire from destroying the third barn, which suffered some damage to its gutters and exterior wall.
"The interior is good. We're really happy with that. That was our primary goal," Pedercini said. "The fire was under control by 3 o'clock."
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Fuel inside the hauler and motorcycles did not pose a major problem to the firefighters but did escalate the blaze. A 30-gallon propane tank inside the barn blew off its nozzle - creating a blowtorch-like effect - and some smaller propane tanks exploded, fueling the fire.
One firefighter was taken to the hospital after slipping while securing the water supply but he was treated and released with minor bumps and bruises. Nobody else was injured, Pedercini said.
