Date: September 14,2017
Nature of Call: Structure Fire
Address: 829 Marlboro Road
Time of Call: 11:09am
Type of Building: Motel building
Number of Residents: 19
Number of Alarms: 2nd alarm at 11:12am
Under Control: 11:57am
Injuries: 1
Type: Possible smoke inhalation
Fatalities: 3 cats
Owner: Bruce & Terry Bonnette
Brattleboro Trucks on Scene: 5
Brattleboro FF’s: 18
Assisting Agencies on Scene: Brattleboro Police, Rescue, Inc, Brattleboro Department of Public Works, Utilities Division, Green Mountain Power, VT Division of Fire Safety, Red Cross
Mutual Aid Towns on Scene: Putney, Hinsdale, Guilford, Keene, Chesterfield, Vernon
Mutual Aid Towns Covering Brattleboro Stations: Hinsdale, West Dummerston, Greenfield, Newbrook
Action Taken: At 11:09am Brattleboro Central Dispatch received a call reporting an unknown type fire at 829 Marlboro Road the Molly Stark Motel. Engine 3, Engine 4, 38Ladder1, and Car 2 responded on a 1st alarm assignment. While units were responding, Dispatch received multiple 911 calls advising flames were visible, at 11:22 am the incident was upgraded to a 2nd alarm. Engine 4 arrived on the scene at 11:14 am and Lt. Dan Hiner reported a working fire. Car 2 arrived at 11:16am and Assistant Chief Leonard Howard reported flames and smoke showing on the east end of the Alpha side of the building. Crews performed primary searches of all 15 rooms, and then made an aggressive interior attack to hold the fire in the office area. At 11:57am the fire was reported under control. Crews remained on the scene until 2:46pm. There was 1 female tenant that was transported to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital for possible smoke inhalation, she was treated and released. There were three cats that were found deceased.
The American Red Cross was called to the scene to assist with people that were displaced.
The Brattleboro Fire Department Investigation Team was able to determine the cause was accidental. It was determined that a cat knocked over a candle that fell on to a couch. A smoke alarm did notify the occupant in the office of the fire. All Brattleboro units were back in-service at 3:30pm.
