Firefighters save home from blaze

FRENCHVILLE – Local firefighters did everything right on Saturday morning when they saved a home threatened by an early morning fire, Fire Chief Michael Michaud said Tuesday.

Michaud estimated that $75,000 in damage was done to the garage and home of the Robert Chasse family, but the home was saved with minimal damage.

The local fire crew was able to accomplish that despite arriving as flames were shooting through the roof of the garage and temperatures hovered around 20 degrees below zero just before 5 a.m.

After the fire, firefighters had to use hammers to break ice from the fastenings to remove their protective clothing. Everything was frozen, they said.

“This was like a miracle for us,” Michaud said. “Despite the cold and the possibility of water problems, everything went well.”

The Chasse family was awakened by their dog’s barking. The fire had started in the area of a wood-burning stove in the garage.

Michaud said the fire burned intensely in the area of the wood stove and attic area above it.

Firefighters saw flames shooting into the air from one mile away.

Michaud said the garage was destroyed, along with the contents. Inside the garage were stored a pontoon boat, a lawn tractor with snowblower attachment, a compressor, welding equipment and a large number of other tools.

Fire that did enter the eaves to the home was quickly extinguished. Fire damage to the home was limited to rafters in the attic. Inside the Chasse home, there was some water and smoke damage, Michaud said.

Twenty-five firefighters from Frenchville and St. Agatha answered the early morning call. There were no injuries.