QUECHEE — Hartford firefighters managed to save most of a commercial garage despite heavy flames that were rolling out the front of the single-story structure early Friday morning.

The blaze at the family-owned Turner's Garage on Costello Road, close to Exit 1 off Interstate 89, was apparently touched off by a worker using a cutting torch, Hartford Fire Lt. David Shropshire explained.

“It's still officially under investigation but it seems like a mistake,” Shropshire noted, adding, “They were cutting the torch on a truck and apparently started something burning.”

Both of Hartford's fire stations were sent out on a first alarm at 7:21 a.m. and additional engines quickly responded from Woodstock and the New Hampshire cities of Lebanon and Hanover to help set up a water supply from a dry hydrant system on the nearby Old Quechee Road.

Despite a head start which led at least one passing driver to call dispatchers and report that the building appeared to be fully engulfed, Shropshire said his first arriving fire crew determined the flames had taken hold in the front of the structure so they pulled a two-and-a-half-inch hose line around and attacked from the back of the 1,600 square-foot building, driving the flames forward out the bay doors. Because of that maneuver, Shropshire said, “we saved two-thirds of the building,” and at least one vehicle.





— Staff Reports