HARWICH – Firefighters responded to a structure fire in Harwich shortly before 2 PM Saturday. Smoke was visible from the attic of the house at 25 Victory Drive when crews arrived. Firefighters had to cut a hole in the roof in order to completely extinguish the flames. No injuries were reported. Mutual aid from Dennis assisted at the scene. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
From Harwich Fire: At 1:48 pm a 911 call was received at the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office Communication Center for a fire in the rear of a house at the corner of Sunset Lane and Victory Drive. A second call confirmed the address as 25 Victory Drive and reported a large propane tank near the fire. A First Alarm was transmitted bringing which recalls all Harwich personnel, as well as an Engine Company from Dennis and Brewster, and a Ladder Company from Chatham.
On arrival Harwich companies found a single story wood frame ranch style home with a significant fire in the rear exterior of the building, extending into the kitchen and attic of the structure. A Working Fire Assignment was transmitted, which provides an additional Engine and an Ambulance to the scene and provides station coverage for both Harwich firehouses. Orleans, Eastham, and Hyannis Fire Departments provided station coverage. Dennis and Yarmouth responded to the scene as part of the Working Fire Assignment.
Handlines were stretched to the interior and the rear of the structure, quickly knocking down the fire. The roof was ventilated to aid in extinguishing the fire that had extended into the attic.
Companies were on scene for approximately 90 minutes, conducting overhaul operations and making sure the fire was completely extinguished.
The cause of the fire is accidental, with the fire starting in the outdoor shower in the rear of the property. It is believed the fire was caused by a mirror in the shower. This happens quite frequently in the spring. During the springtime, the angle of the sun is lower and shower mirrors, which are often concave, will magnify the suns reflection off the mirror and cause the exterior siding of the house, or the shower, to burn.
The damage is estimated at $110,000 to property and contents. No injuries were reported. The house was unoccupied at the time of the fire.
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