Fire destroys Peterborough home

A fire on Nichols Road resulted in extensive damage to the house and garage.

A fire on Nichols Road resulted in extensive damage to the house and garage. —STAFF PHOTO BY DAVID ALLEN

The fire onNichols Road started in the breezeway between the house and garage.

The fire onNichols Road started in the breezeway between the house and garage. —STAFF PHOTO BY DAVID ALLEN

Sunday’s fire on Nichols Road in Peterborough as crews arrived. 

Sunday’s fire on Nichols Road in Peterborough as crews arrived.  —PHOTO COURTESY PETERBORUGH FIRE AND RESCUE

The fire on Nichols Road prior to spreading to the garage and house.

The fire on Nichols Road prior to spreading to the garage and house. PHOTO COURTESY PETERBOROUGH FIRE AND RESCUE

Crews had the Nichols Road fire under control by 3:05 pm. 

Crews had the Nichols Road fire under control by 3:05 pm.  —PHOTO COURTESY PETERBOROUGH FIRE AND RESCUE

Crews had the Nichols Road fire under control by 3:05 p.m. 

Crews had the Nichols Road fire under control by 3:05 p.m.  —STAFF PHOTO BY DAVID ALLEN

A fire on Nichols Road in Peterborough Subrought out fire departments from Milford to Keene.

A fire on Nichols Road in Peterborough Subrought out fire departments from Milford to Keene. —PHOTO BY DONNA MCKERNAN

Firefighters tackle a blaze on Nichols Road in Peterborough Sunday.

Firefighters tackle a blaze on Nichols Road in Peterborough Sunday. —PHOTO BY DONNA MCKERNAN

By DAVID ALLEN

Monadnock Ledger Transcript

Published: 01-13-2025 9:13 AM

Modified: 01-13-2025 12:47 PM


A Peterborough home was left uninhabitable Sunday afternoon after a fire that drew crews from towns stretching from Milford to Keene.

Peterborough Fire Chief Ed Walker said the first alarm came in at 1:19 p.m. for a blaze on Nichols Road in Peterborough, and a second alarm followed. Peterborough crews were first on the scene to find he structure engulfed in flames. 

“A breezeway was involved, with flames extending to the garage and the house,” Walker said.

The intensity of the ground-floor blaze caused the ceiling to collapse and the contents of the attic to fall to the first floor. It also required crews to enlarge a window opening to get at the blaze. Crews from Temple, Jaffrey, Hancock, Dublin, Keene, Milford, Bennington, Greenfield, Antrim and Rindge responded to the fire as part of mutual aid.

“It (the fire) was knocked down by 2:05, and things were squared away by 3:50,” said Walker, although a Peterborough tanker remained on site for several hours as a precautionary measure. The Red Cross was assisting the lone tenant of the home with housing as of Sunday afternoon, and Walker said there were no injuries to people or pets. 

According to Walker, “careless disposal of wood stove ashes” was the apparent cause of the fire. He said  unextinguished embers were removed from a stove to a container in the breezeway, causing the fire, which spread to the garage and house. 

“It’s a very common cause,” said Walker.

How to store ashes

According to University of New Hampshire Extension, to store ashes safely, remove them from the wood stove according to the manufacturer's directions and place them in a covered metal container. Store the container of ashes outdoors on a cement or brick slab at least three feet from any combustible surface.

Don't store ashes on a wooden deck or porch. Even though the ashes may appear cold, buried embers may still be capable of starting a fire. Don't spread the ashes for at least a month after removing them from the stove, and spread them on a windless day.