Fire levels Montgomery house

Fast-moving flames give firefighters little chance to control blaze

By: Greg Forester
   MONTGOMERY — A rapidly developing fire completely destroyed a two-story Wessex Lane residence Monday morning.
   Emergency personnel from four fire units responded to the house fire shortly after 8 a.m. when a woman driving down Wessex Lane saw a cloud of heavy black smoke coming from the house and dialed 911.
   On arrival, police found smoke pouring out the rear sliding glass doors and windows and moments later flames were burning through the roof and front atrium window, police said. Within minutes the house was fully engulfed by fire, according to police.
   None of the residents were home when the blaze occurred.
   "They had all left for work and school by the time the fire started," said Connie Kelly of the Montgomery Fire Department on Monday afternoon. "The residents were too much in shock to think of what they must have left on to start the fire."
   Police said late Monday afternoon that it is believed the fire was started by a toaster that was left on prior to the departure of the occupants.
   Fire personnel from Montgomery, Rocky Hill and Hopewell Borough responded to the alarm. No injuries were reported.
   Although the flames had been put out by noon, fire personnel were working on the site until 3 p.m. Monday, searching for "hotspots" in the wreckage.
   After the fire had been put out, equipment from Dutchtown Nurseries was used to knock the remnants of the house down to keep children away from what’s left of the house.
   Montgomery Department of Public Works employees helped out, erecting snow fences around the site for the public’s protection.
   Although all of the human residents of the home were safely away from the home when the fire started, one cat remains missing, fire officials said.
   During the height of the fire, smoke could be seen from a wide area, around the house, which is located just off Skillman Road between Route 601 and Burnt Hill Road.
   In March 2002, a fire completely destroyed a similar house on nearby Bronson Way.