Northfield fire Saturday displaces 2 residents and their 10 dogs

NORTHFIELD — Firefighters from across the Lakes Region responded to a building fire Saturday, but the home was destroyed, and two residents and their pet dogs are now without a place to live, according to Tilton-Northfield Fire Department. 

The only person home at the time was not injured, but one of 10 pet dogs is missing. 

Tilton Northfield Fire & EMS and Franklin Fire were dispatched at 8:19 a.m. on Jan. 31, to a reported building fire on the 100 block of Hodgdon Road, after a neighbor saw smoke and flames.

Firefighters arrived at the scene seven minutes later, and called for more help. Upon arrival, crews found a two-story residence with heavy fire seen from the front, according to a press release. 

“Access to the home was challenging, as a narrow, approximately 200-foot path extended from the end of the driveway to the residence,” Fire Chief Sean Valovanie wrote. 

The attack crew from Tilton-Northfield used a leader-line hose because of distance between the engine and the home. Entry conditions were complicated because the front door lacked a stairway, firefighters apparently gained access using a small ladder. A bystander told firefighters one person and multiple dogs were inside.

A leader line refers to a 150-foot bundle of hose, kept on top of a fire truck and called a “high rise pack.” It’s used to essentially extend the length of hose available to firefighters, allowing them to get significantly further away from the truck during an attack. 

When firefighters used a ladder to enter the structure they found heavy fire. During the first search of the home they did not find any occupants or animals. The majority of the fire was extinguished using the leader-line hose, and firefighters from Franklin used an additional hose line from an engine, and put out the fire on the outside of the home.

“They ended up escaping the fire on their own,” Valovanie said of the lone occupant and dogs when reached Monday morning.

Crews brought the fire under control at 9:02 a.m., after opening ceilings using hand tools — hooks and a pick axe — and a chain saw.

“Access to the house was difficult due to the snow and narrow path,” firefighter Cody Caron said in the release. “Thankfully, we have the leader-line and train with it regularly.”

Firefighters determined the fire started in a wall, where the basement wood stove chimney comes out.

“The home sustained extensive fire damage throughout the walls and ceilings and is considered a total loss,” Valovanie wrote.

After extinguishing the fire, crews accounted for one occupant and nine dogs. The resident was uninjured, and a second person who lives there was not home at the time. Three dogs required medical attention, six were not injured, and one dog is missing. The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced occupants, and Birch Hill Pet Resort is assisting in caring for the dogs.

Fire departments from Belmont, Concord, Laconia and Sanbornton operated at the Hodgdon Road scene. Gilmanton and New Hampton departments provided station coverage, and the scene was cleared by 10:37 a.m. 

Caron reminded homeowners to ensure wood stoves are installed in accordance with code and manufacturer requirements, and said this was the third wood stove-related fire this winter. Heating-related fires are typical during the winter months, because people use heaters more regularly, but this year has been particularly tough in their district.

“To have three devastating fires from a wood stove, it seems abnormal,” Valovanie said.