BOLTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A three-alarm fire that torched part of a farmhouse in Bolton Tuesday afternoon was sparked by a wood stove that was left burning unattended, officials said.
Firefighters responding to a reported structure fire at 49 Sawyer Road about 3 p.m. found flames shooting from the roof and heavy smoke pouring into the air.
It took crews about an hour to knock down the blaze, which left behind about $200,000 worth of damages.
The fire started in the living room where the wood stove was burning, State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and Bolton Fire Chief Jeffrey M. Legendre announced.
“Just as you shouldn’t leave cooking or a candle burning unattended, you shouldn’t leave a wood stove burning unattended either,” Ostroskey said.
The wood stove piping and the chimney had not been clean recently and there was evidence of accumulated creosote, Ostroskey and Legendre added.
The family dog died in the fire and the homeowners were not home at the time.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)