January 30, 2013 BETHLEHEM — A Sunday night blaze destroyed a house at 87 Lewis Hill Road. Near midnight, flames were visible from Jefferson because the fire occurred on a lot that is higher than much of the surrounding area.
No one was injured. Michael McHose owns the property. He has lived there for 30 years.
The alarm sounded at about 11:15 p.m. As with the Franconia fire on Thursday morning, a strong mutual aid response aided in the difficult night battle. Departments from Littleton, Franconia, Sugar Hill, Twin Mountain, and Whitefield provided onsite support or station coverage for Bethlehem.
Fire Chief Jack Anderson said a wood stove likely caused the fire. The house is a total loss. Some vehicles were also destroyed. Anderson said that crews worked hard to save a logging truck parked near the house.
Because of the extensive damage, the State Fire Marshal informed Anderson that an investigation is not planned.
McHose said he had always used firewood "to keep the monstrous house warm." He said that the structure was about 4,000 square feet.
Anderson said that town water services the property, with hydrants nearby. The crews that battled the blaze used more than 200,000 gallons. Anderson added that about 40 pounds of foam was also used, a very large amount.
The threat of a rekindled fire brought the Bethlehem Fire Department back to the scene on Monday. Smoke from the rubble could be seen from the Rocks Estate well into the morning.
Anderson said a new fire on one side of the structure's remnants could imperil the logging truck. The crew that returned ensured no such result occurred.
Temperatures barely above zero meant that the crew responding on Monday had to struggle with a frozen hose nozzle.
A sizeable quantity of firewood near the structure added to the difficulty in dousing the blaze. Onsite Monday morning, Anderson was inclined to let the blackened wood burn. It was not a threat to property saved during the bigger blaze.
By early afternoon, a demolition truck was working at the site. Even with the tragic event, McHose tried to keep up good spirits. He could be seen sifting through his destroyed belongings and talking with those at the scene. At times, he had a smile on his face.
Anderson was at the scene both Monday morning and in the early afternoon. By about 1 p.m., he finally decided to head out for some sleep, an elusive commodity for North Country departments that fought the blaze.
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