A firefighter was hospitalized following a serious medical event as he fought to quickly bring under control a fierce blaze that engulfed a historic farmhouse in Kingston, New Hampshire. The rural homestead, which dates back generations and was once full of life with crops, family, and animals, was reduced to smoldering ruins within moments.
The fire erupted on Scotland Road just after 5 p.m. yesterday, tearing through the property as neighbors looked on. One such neighbor, Felicia Cooke, told CBS Boston, "It was crazy. It went up very quickly. It was very bright. It's sad to see anyone's house go up. Then, you have to worry about yourself, your animals, your belongings. It's heart-wrenching to see that."
Residents of the historic home escaped without injury, and first responders managed to rescue the various animals on the property. However, the efforts were not entirely without loss; a dog perished in the inferno, a detail confirmed by NBC Boston in its coverage of the event. Fire crews, hindered by the absence of fire hydrants, had to rotate to a nearby lake for water to douse the flames. "When we arrived, it was heavy fire on the second floor. It didn't take long for it to come right through the roof," Kingston Assistant Fire Chief Ken Walker reflected in a statement to CBS Boston.
By nightfall, the once-resplendent farmhouse had been declared a total loss, with an excavator tearing through what remained as firefighters continued to spray water on the hot spots. "It was engulfed," Krystina Gursky, a family member of the homeowner, recounted to NBC Boston. "My parents' house is gone." The Kingston community and firefighting personnel from across New Hampshire and Massachusetts converged on the scene in a testament to unwavering solidarity amidst disaster.
