The Westfield Fire Department responds to a fire at 150 Western Circle Sunday night. Photo by witness Patrick Lurgio. Used with permission.
WESTFIELD – A fire in a vacant home caused extensive damage Sunday night.
Westfield Deputy Chief Eric Bishop said the call came in at 8:20 p.m. by a neighbor who reported seeing smoke coming from 150 Western Circle.
The house has been primarily vacant for the past two years while the homeowner, David H. Hunt, has been unable to stay in the home.
Even though he hasn’t been living there, he was still very upset and concerned about his belongings and the property.
Hunt, a former realtor, said he had kept the gas and electric on for his convenience when he visited the home to maintain the property.
A cause of the blaze has not yet been determined, Bishop said.
“They started a preliminary investigation,” he said, but the state fire marshal is expected to conduct a more thorough investigation Monday morning.
Bishop said a crew would remain overnight to “hold the scene” and make sure the fire doesn’t reignite.
He couldn’t give an estimate, but said the damage to the house was “extensive” with a lot of smoke damage plus firefighters had to cut through the roof for ventilation.
A Westfield State University student has been parking his car in Hunt’s driveway, with the homeowner’s permission, but the vehicle was not damaged during the fire.
Westfield fire and Westfield police responded to the scene. No injuries were reported.
Staff Writer Christine Charnosky can be reached at [email protected]
Follow me on Twitter @charnoskyWNG
