by Steve Bradley
Last Thursday evening, North Bennington Fire Department lieutenant Levaritt Harrington was traveling through Hoosick on Route 7 and spotted a heavy smoke condition coming from a house about midway between the stop light and the Curtis Lumber entrance. Harrington called 911.
[private]The fire had had a good start when firemen arrived minutes later. Only quick action and good work by the responding departments saved the home from total destruction.
“It was a good save,” Hoosick fireman Leo Surdam said. “The front door handle was hot to touch when I arrived.” Surdam was one of the first to arrive on the scene.
The home, located at 5 Depot Street, sustained heavy smoke and water damage. Firemen believed the tight weather sealing of the home deprived the fire of oxygen, keeping the fire from getting more of a head start than it did. No one was home at the time. The fire was started by a space heater being used in the basement. The fire worked its way up through the walls surrounding the stairs from the basement up to the second floor. The center and the area towards the street of the home received the most damage.
The house was filled with thick smoke during the fight. Firemen took turns entering the home and many Scott air-pack tanks were used. Getting at the fire was difficult with firemen having to take down lath and plaster to get at the fire.
Fire departments responding were Hoosick, Hoosick Falls, North Hoosick, Pittstown, Petersburgh and West Hoosick. No injuries were reported.
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