CONCORD, MASS. (WHDH) - An accidental chimney fire led to a raging inferno that reduced a sprawling, multi-million dollar mansion in one of Concord’s oldest neighborhoods to a pile of rubble on Friday.
Crews responding to a reported fire at the 120-year-old home at 240 Fairhaven Hill Road around 10:30 a.m. found heavy flames shooting from the attic and thick smoke billowing into the sky, fire officials said.
“Investigators determined that a fire in the fireplace extended from inside the chimney through a breach in the mortar. This allowed superheated gases to escape and ignite structural components,” Concord Fire Chief Thomas M. Judge, Concord Police Chief Joseph O’Connor and State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey said in a joint press release.
As the fire raged on into the afternoon, it spread across the roof and down to the lower levels of the home, where flames could be seen bursting through windows, the front door, and consuming towering white columns, causing the portico to collapse.
Chunks of charred wood could be seen crashing to the ground as the fire started to eat away at the home’s facade. The roof, a second-level walkout patio, and chimney also caved in as giant plumes of black smoke that were spotted from a mile away consumed the area.
Video of the smoldering aftermath showed smoke rising from the ashes of the gutted home, which has been deemed a total loss.
Firefighters from several area communities dealt with water access issues as they battled the multi-alarm fire.
There are few fire hydrants in the neighborhood because the home is located in one of the oldest parts of the town, according to Judge.
The 6,500-square-foot structure was designed by architect Herbert D. Hale and constructed in 1899 for Charles Francis Adams III, son of John Quincy Adams, Massachusetts historical records indicate.
Two people were home when the fire broke out but they were able to escape to safety.
No firefighters were injured in the hourslong battle.
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