Chimney Causes Bay Street Fire

By Layla Kalinen
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
CLAREMONT — Late on Saturday, December 10, 2022, a fire was reported to the City of Claremont’s dispatch at 9:21 PM. A first alarm was struck to bring all firefighters to the city.

The fire, located at 8 Bay Street, was on a parcel of land with various levels of short to tall shrubbery vicariously encircling the structure challenging first responders from the Claremont Fire Department.

Members of the Claremont Fire Department responded to the scene with a two-story ladder truck to the two-story residential fire that, according to Fire Officials, was not of suspicious origin and, with the exception of minor injuries, there were no fatalities.

The first arriving officer immediately reported heavy fire from the back end of the second floor.

Mutual aid responders came from local Vermont and New Hampshire Counties. Both the Ascutney, Vermont and Newport, New Hampshire fire departments responded, along with Golden Cross Ambulance services. The Cornish Fire Department covered the Claremont Firehouse.

One individual escaped before the fire became unmanageable and another individual was transported to Valley Regional Hospital with what appears to be non-threatening life injuries.

The structure fire sustained the most damage on the second floor. Fire Officials have deemed the structure a total loss.

The cause of the fire was reportedly an improperly maintained chimney used for wood heat.