Fire truck destroyed as flames overwhelm Montpelier lumberyard

MONTPELIER –– A massive fire erupted at a lumberyard in Montpelier’s downtown area on Wednesday night, according to deputy fire chief James Quinn.

The blaze, which began shortly after 7 p.m., caused no injuries but destroyed the first fire truck on the scene.

Firefighters faced a “massive amount of fire” that had already spread throughout the lumberyard, forcing them to retreat.

Quinn said the fire was generally under control by 7:40 p.m., but crews would likely be extinguishing it for days. Efforts were made to protect neighboring buildings, including the Hunger Mountain Co-op and the Clothespin Factory.

The lumberyard, which included a horseshoe-shaped ring of sheds storing goods like lumber and insulation, will be a total loss.

Several streets were closed to traffic due to the fire. At the fire’s outset, a temporary power shutoff left about 1,450 customers without power, but almost all had been restored by 8 p.m.

The cause of the fire is still unknown.