CHARLEMONT, MA – The tones went out at 20:35 hours for Goshen firefighters to respond to Ashfield for station coverage. On route to the Goshen firehouse, we were redirected to the staging area on Zoar Road in Charlemont to assist with water supply for a working structure fire.
Charlemont is small community located along the Deerfield River in the northwest corner of Franklin County and is approximately 11 miles south of the Vermont border. The fire at 506 Zoar Road was initially called in at 18:42. We arrived on scene at 21:18 and staged in a parking area just down the street from where firefighters from Shelburne Falls had set up a portable tank that supplied water to the fire ground. The only recognizable parts of what was once a wood-framed house were three towering chimneys that stood out of the pile of debris at their base.
Captains Steve Mollison and Bob Labrie along with firefighter Bill Nugent responded to the scene with Engine 2. Deputy Chief Kim Dresser remained in quarters in case additional equipment was requested or another call was made for Goshen firefighters.
Above – members of the Conway Fire Department on the attack line.
Water was being drafted out of a brook that crossed under Zoar Road a few hundred feet from the scene. Additional water from a pond near the Berkshire East ski area was being shuttled to the scene by a convoy of fire apparatus.
Additional firefighters from Ashfield, Buckland, Colrain, Conway, Florida, Greenfield, Heath, Leyden, Rowe, Shelburne Falls and Turners Falls assisted Charlemont firefighters to extinguish the blaze.
Above – shifting winds obscure these Charlemont firefighters during operations.
Once the fire was brought under control, Goshen firefighters were released and were back in quarters at 23:13.
