16 Homeless after Apartment Fire

EAST HARDWICK – An electrical fire Thursday morning, Dec. 5, at a multi-unit apartment building in East Hardwick left 16 people scrambling to find housing on a snowy day.

A call came in to the Hardwick Fire Department at 12:38 p.m. for a structure fire at 170 School Street. Hardwick Fire Chief Perley Allen immediately put the call out to surrounding fire departments to provide on-site assistance and coverage as fire crews responded.

Investigators believe the fire was started by an electrical fault in the barn’s downstairs front apartment, said Allen. It spread from a barn-like structure to the connected main house on the same property, according to a Hardwick Fire Department report. “Both buildings suffered major damage,” and “Crews were on scene until around 7:45 p.m.”

Everyone got out safely and there were no injuries.

The building is owned by Jeremy and Leslie Michaud of East Hardwick.

The American Red Cross was unable to make the trip to Hardwick due to inclement weather that day and has since been working with families to find housing and meet other needs of those displaced.

One resident reported she lost everything between the fire and very bad water damage. She said she has been able to stay with her daughter in Hardwick temporarily, but her only real need in the immediate future is permanent housing.

Smith’s Grocery in Greensboro Bend provided pizza during the on-scene cleanup. The store has been an essential part of many emergency responses in the area by providing food, drinks and other support for emergency responders and those affected. “We want to send our condolences and thoughts to all those that lost their home and belongings in the fire today. . . Our hearts go out to you and your families. Please let us know how and if we can help. If you’re a family or friend and want to send us a message with sizes, items and/or needs we can help share,” they wrote in a social media post, offering, “A huge thank you to the EMS, fire & safety personnel from all surrounding towns that were all involved and helped. It is truly an incredible job you have and not easy.”

Angel Outfitters Thrift Shop, located at the United Church of Hardwick, was opened the next day to provide free clothing, bedding and footwear to two of the families in need.

Hardwick area Neighbor to Neighbor (NtN) and Cabot’s Neighbors in Action (NIA) have shared lists of items needed by the families.

“Here are some ways you can help them out and where to bring them: Buy gift cards to TOPS, Buffalo Mountain Market, Hannaford, Price Chopper, Walmart and local pharmacies,” NtN wrote on social media. “There are some specific asks, too: Dial 1 & 3 body wash, loofa plastic scrubby, an electric beard trimmer, medium bristle toothbrush, Always overnight pads, Dove body scrub, silicone body scrubber, hair brush tangle teaser (pink), and Tom’s fluoride free sensitive/whitening toothpaste.”

Household items and children’s toys are needed, that include queen-sized sheets, pillows and blankets, coloring books for children and adults, cards, board games and stuffies for a four-year-old.

Donations can be taken to the third floor of the Memorial Building, 20 Church Street in Hardwick, on Wednesday, Dec. 11 from 1 to 6 p.m. and Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. where the library will be while interior work is happening across the street. After library hours small items can be left in the book return by the library’s front door.

NIA shared a list of sizes for one of the families shared by a woman, her fiance and four children who lost everything in the fire. Needed are men’s pants in sizes 29 x 30 and 34 x 30, large shirts for two people, men’s medium shirts, size 4 women’s pants, small women’s shirts, size 14/16 boys pants and boys large shirts, girls size 10/12 pants and size 7 girls pants and shirts. Also needed are boots and shoes in men’s size 10 for 2 people, men’s size 8, boys 7, girls 13t and women’s 7.

Items can be dropped off at the NIA office, 3339 Main Street in downtown Cabot village. If no one is there, items can be left on the back ramp that is checked throughout the day, or call Cindy at (802) 595-2579.

NtN said they expect to hear about and share needs for more household items when displaced people have secured new housing.

Allen expressed appreciation for the mutual aid provided by the many area departments responding to provide assistance. Greensboro, Woodbury, Walden, Craftsbury, Wolcott, Elmore, Cabot, Danville, Sheffield-Wheelock, Morrisville and East Montpelier all had a hand in containing the blaze. They were joined by Hardwick Ambulance who provided aid on scene, according to a Cabot Fire Department social media post.

Woodbury Fire Department got the call at 12:45 p.m., responding with other agencies by sending an engine, tanker and manpower to the scene. While transporting water, Woodbury Tanker 1 found a large commercial building with heavy black smoke coming from the chimney. Woodbury K1 investigated and found the boiler room full of smoke. Woodbury and Glover fire department crews took care of that situation and returned to the fire.

The Greensboro Fire Dept. responded as mutual aid. They said crews on Engine 2 established a water supply from the Lamoille River in the lower village for tanker shuttle while Engine 1 setup pump operations on the rear side of the structure.

“Members of the Cabot Fire Department provided: search and rescue, interior attack, exterior attack, ground, tanker and overall support,” they said. “All departments worked together professionally and supported each other. Many of the Cabot members left their jobs or school to provide mutual aid today.”

“A large number of towns had to respond to get enough firefighters to handle this incident due to the fire happening during work hours when most towns volunteer staffing is low,” a social media post by the Woodbury Department said, “This highlights the importance of mutual aid. Please consider joining your town’s emergency services.”

Recognizing the importance of keeping firefighters safe, the Cabot Department noted, “Our firefighters are exposed to many carcinogens and other hazards when working on a scene. This is why it is imperative we have the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) . . . for the job. This also includes the equipment to clean all the PPE, tools and apparatus after a call. Currently we have no decontamination space. After a call everyone goes back to the station and cleans all the equipment and PPE before heading home. This is done all in one space, spreading contaminants.

“With no on-site way to decontaminate themselves, members get into their personal vehicles and then their homes before properly being decontaminated. Members left the station tonight at 7:30 p.m., meaning they were exposed to contaminants/carcinogens for over six hours.”

Walden’s Fire Department responded to the call to “join our brother and sister firefighters . . . at this structure fire,” adding, “Walden, like Cabot has no decontamination facilities available.”

Crews on-site reporting stretching approximately 700 combined feet of hose line to all corners of the structure, said the Greensboro Departments’ social media post. “Greensboro returned to the fire station at approximately 6 p.m. where they washed hose line and trucks, before reracking spare hose back on the engine. Crews left the station at 7 p.m.

“As many of you may know, the apartment house on School Street that is next to the D&L Market burned on Thursday. Seven families are now without homes and most are without any possessions at all, “Cheryl Michaels with the East Hardwick Neighborhood Organization (EHNO) wrote on social media Friday. “Those who need a place have been given temporary vouchers to hotels in Morrisville and Stowe.”

Michaels later said, “I am coordinating 10 dinners over two weeks to help out a family of six who are living temporarily in Greensboro.” The sign-up sheet was full by noon, December 10.

Michaels then added, “Any money collected by the EHNO will go directly to the families. We’ll confirm needs with Diane Grenkow of Neighbor-to-Neighbor. You can send checks to East Hardwick Neighborhood Organization, Inc. P.O. Box 63, East Hardwick, VT 05836.

By Sunday, Dec. 8, just three days after the fire, Michael’s wrote that the family adopted by EHNO had found a place to live in Hardwick and would be signing a lease on Monday. “It is partially furnished but they will need some household goods.” Her partial list of needed household goods included eight soup bowls, drinking glasses, serving dishes, king size sheets, towels, pots and pans, cooking and eating utensils. She asked those donating items to leave them at her house, at 188 Main in East Hardwick. “Just drive down the driveway and park in front of the garage. Go through the open gate and leave on the shelf or bench,” Michaels added.

Hardwick’s Town Manager David Upson, expressed concern for all those affected by the fire and praised the response of emergency crews. He noted Hardwick has recently lost 12 much-needed housing units between this East Hardwick fire and the oil spill at 9 S. Main Street.