Arson suspected in cop car fire at officer’s home — Holden, MA

Early Friday morning the Holden Fire Department responded to suspicious house fire at 308 Main Street that engulfed two vehicles in the driveway and extended into the residence. Although the cause of the fire is still under investigation, arson is suspected.

At 4:12 a.m. the Holden Emergency Dispatch Center received a 911 call reporting a fire involving cars and a building at 308 Main Street.

Holden Police were first on the scene after a neighbor called to report the fire, after hearing loud noises outside. The occupant of the ranch house, Officer Jonathan Bourget of the Holden Police Department, was able to get out safely after being awakened by a concerned friend who called by phone when they heard the address.

Deputy Chief Jack Cross was the first to arrive on the scene and found two cars heavily involved, with fire spreading to a nearby structure.

“The initial report was a house fire, and then the second report was car fire next to the house,” explained Fire Chief Jack Chandler, III. It is not yet known which started first.

Because of the suspicious nature of the fire, the Fire Marshall was called into work with Det. Sergeant Chris Carey to investigate the incident.

“We’re going to treat it as arson until we can rule out that it wasn’t,” said the Chief.

With both cars on fire and parked close to the home, the fire proved difficult to suppress.

Chief Chandler said that when fighting the car fires “you could smell a lot of fuel.”

The other objective was to save as much as the house as possible.

“You had two vehicles on fire, plus the house, so that in itself is a challenge because you have to put them both out at the same time,” added Cross.

The first pumper to arrive was Engine Company 1 from the Headquarters station. They stretched a hoseline through the front door to extinguish the fire already in the house.

A second hoseline was stretched to protect the house from further involvement from the burning cars.

An aggressive interior attack kept the fire in one room. However, the entire house suffered minor smoke damage.

The fire got into the ceiling and the wall of the kitchen, causing extensive damage to the interior. Both vehicles were a total loss.

There were no injuries to civilians or fire personnel.

Rutland Fire provided coverage for the vacant Holden station. West Boylston Fire provided an ambulance to stand by at the Holden station.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

http://www.thedailyholden.com/Articles-c-2011-05-06-77056.113122-Arson-suspected-in-car-fires-at-Holden-Police-officers-residence.html