Damage too great to pinpoint cause of 5-alarm blaze

BELMONT — What caused a five-alarm fire that destroyed a couple’s home and killed dozens of animals may never be determined, the lead investigator said Monday.

“The damage was so extensive that the cause will always be listed as undetermined,” said Deputy Fire Chief Michael Newhall said, pointing out that the fire is not considered suspicious.

The fire destroyed the home and two outbuildings at 722 Province Road (Route 107) in Belmont that belonged to Larry Carpenter and his wife Ann-Marie. The Carpenters had lived in the house for more than 40 years, Newhall said.

The structures went up in flames in a blaze that burned for more than eight hours last Wednesday night and Thanksgiving morning, which firefighters had to battle in temperatures close to zero.

Newhall said he believed that the fire started in a two-story 30 foot by 20 foot building in which Mr. Carpenter had a machine shop, and where he stored farm equipment, cord wood, and 70 antique boat motors. The building was unheated, Newhall said.

The building was situated between the house and another 30 foot by 20 foot building where farm animals were housed. Most of the animals are believed to have perished in the blaze. In the barn were a mule, nine geese, 15 goats, and 80 ducks. The Carpenters and police on the scene were able to save the mule, and also one goat, one goose, and eight ducks.

Three of the Carpenters’ six house pets also perished.

Newhall said that two Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the basement of the home were also destroyed, as well as numerous antiques in the house.

The property was uninsured, according to Mrs. Carpenter.

As of Monday afternoon 64 people had made donations to a GoFundMe page set up by the Carpenters’ neighbor, Rheannon Fee. The amounts of the donations range from $5 to $310.

The GoFundMe page can be found at https://www.gofundme.com/npeud-help-a-friend-recover-from-a-fire