Woodrow Avenue Fire Consumes Home; Dog Presumed Lost

(Genesio Oliviera photograph.)

Overlapping fires appeared to stress the resources of the Haverhill Fire Department Tuesday afternoon.

A single-family home at 11 Woodrow Ave. was destroyed while a multi-family building at 48-50 Pilling sustained heavy damage. No injuries were reported at either fire, but a dog was believed to have perished in the Woodrow Avenue blaze. Neighbors report they heard a dog barking from inside the house when firefighters arrived. Haverhill Deputy Fire Chief Eric Tarpy said he could not confirm the report.

“It was being said that the dog was in the house. We never saw the dog so I don’t know,” he said.

Woodrow neighbors claimed the fire department took 20 minutes to respond. Tarpy, however, said some equipment was available.

A multi-family building at 48-50 Pilling sustained heavy damage.

A multi-family building at 48-50 Pilling sustained heavy damage.

“We actually had one pump in the city that was available to respond right here. We were at the point at the other fire that we were actually able to release a couple companies—so a slight delay, but according to the amount of fire that was present when the first engine company that came, it probably didn’t make the difference anyways,” Tarpy said.

With the two fires, Tarpy said, Lawrence and Methuen helped cover the city. Haverhill firefighters were still on the scene by early evening. Observers believe the two-bedroom, one bath house is a total loss. City records show the home is owned by Rachel Combs and was built in 1912. Fire officials believed the fire at 11 Woodrow Ave. began at the rear of the house. The house next door also received damage to its siding.

The Woodrow Avenue fire caused traffic problems from I-495, Exit 51, to nearly the Plaistow, N.H. border. State Police closed Exit 52 and Woodrow Avenue and Alpine Street residents were forced to park vehicles at nearby Haverhill Bank or Starbuck’s.

Tarpy said the state fire marshal’s office is investigating.

Fire officials believed the fire at 11 Woodrow Ave. began at the rear of the house.

Fire officials believed the fire at 11 Woodrow Ave. began at the rear of the house. (WHAV staff photograph.)

 

 

(Robert King photograph.)

(Robert King photographs.)

woodrow_fire

 

One thought on “Woodrow Avenue Fire Consumes Home; Dog Presumed Lost