Abandoned building saved
Staff writer
Firefighters from four departments saved an abandoned Peabody house Friday night after fire burned its back porch and spread into the attic.
No one was injured.
Flames were visible on the back porch, smoke poured from the eaves and attic vents, and the house was full of smoke when crews arrived.
A neighbor to the north was using a garden hose to keep flames away from his home, fire chief Colton Glenn said, when crews arrived. The house was not damaged, and nearby Peabody Health and Rehab was not endangered, Glenn said.
A breaker box on the back porch was arcing, Glenn said.
Why power still was on was not explained. The house had been vacant for roughly 10 years or longer, Glenn estimated.
“We had neighbors reported squatters in the house, but we weren’t able to prove that,” Glenn said.
Firefighters extinguished the porch fire, cut an access hole in the roof, and put out the attic fire. They pulled down sections of ceiling to check for remaining fire.
Most damage was to the back porch, which would need rebuilding, Glenn said. The rest of the house sustained mainly smoke damage.
“I was very proud of everybody,” he said.
Marion, Hillsboro and Florence firefighters assisted Peabody. Crews were at the scene for about an hour and a half, Glenn estimated.