Fire officials: 1 person dead in Brattleboro blaze
Dec. 3—BRATTLEBORO — Firefighters responded to a blaze on Elliot Street Friday night that left one person dead, the Brattleboro Fire Department announced.
The victim has not yet been identified, the department said in a news release issued at about 11 p.m. The body has been sent to Burlington, Vt., to the state medical examiners office, according to a second release sent on Saturday.
The fire at a commercial/residential building at 90 Elliot St. was called in at about 7:45 p.m. Upon arrival, Brattleboro fire Capt. Joe Newton reported smoke from the second floor, the release says. Within minutes, the fire was raised to a second and then third alarm. Out of concern about the building's structural integrity, fire crews "performed exterior operations only," the release says. The fire was reported under control at about 9 p.m.
According to the news release issued on Saturday, the origin of the fire was on the second floor in the southeast corner. The cause of the fire is still undetermined, but it did not appear to be the result of a criminal act.
With damage from the fire, the building's structural integrity has been found to not be sound. The building was determined to be a public safety hazard and Fire Chief Leonard Howard ordered that the building had to be demolished.
Renaud Construction of Vernon, Vt., was on scene deconstructing the building Saturday.
The incident is being investigated by the Brattleboro Fire Department, the Brattleboro Police Department and Vermont State Police. In addition to the town police and fire departments, firefighters responded to the scene from Chesterfield, Greenfield, Hinsdale and Keene, as well as the Vermont towns of Guilford, Putney and Dummerston. Swanzey was among fire departments that provided station coverage to Brattleboro.
The building was constructed in 1816 and served as the fire house until 1933. It became a pub in 1990.The Sentinel will update this story when additional information becomes available.
