Too much gas in tank?/NH

[PeteSC]

Monday, September 12, 2005
Farmington shed burns after old motorcycle catches fire

By ADAM D. KRAUSS
Democrat Staff Writer
 

 
FARMINGTON — Attempts to bring back to life an old motorcycle backfired when the shed it was being stored in caught fire and burned to the ground on Sunday.

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire, which firefighters knocked down roughly 30 minutes after it began around 3:30 p.m. in the backyard of 53 Union St.

Tim Sorensen, who purchased the home two weeks ago, said his friend, Scott Tyrie, was trying to fix his 1992 Suzuki when something backfired and sent sparks flying. Tyrie said there may have been too much gas in the bike's tank.

Tyrie estimated the bike, destroyed in the fire, was worth around $1,500. Sorensen said the fire probably caused at least $1,300 in damages.

Farmington Fire Chief Richard Fowler said the fire "seems totally accidental." He said the fire started when the men started the motorcycle and the gas tank caught fire, quickly spreading to the shed. He said the men were lucky they didn't get burned.


 
 
Fire crews remained on scene for some time after the fire was extinguished to make sure nothing else contributed to the blaze. After separating the wood with closet hooks and pipe pulls, firefighters found what looked like parts of an old, empty gas can.

The shed, which was around 10-feet by 20-feet-wide, quickly burned to the ground. Flames were shooting at least 75-feet in the air, Fowler said. He pointed out where the flames burned some of the trees surrounding the shed. He said the heat was strong enough to melt the rear light of a pickup truck that was on the property not far from the shed.

Nine New Durham firefighters — for the first time sporting their new firefighting "turnout gear" — were called in to battle the fire from Spring Street because of the fire's intensity. Rochester firefighters provided station coverage for Farmington. Farmington responded with Ladder 1, Engines 1 and 4 and a rescue vehicle.

"It was spreading pretty rapidly," Fowler said. He said the location of the home — in between two streets and two homes — made getting fire crews in position to battle the blaze difficult.

None of the trees in the backyard near the shed will have to be cut down because of the fire, Fowler said. Two or three smaller trees fell to the ground while firefighters were extinguishing the blaze.


 
 
The fire sent thick plumes of smoke billowing high enough into the sky for neighbors from surrounding streets to flock to the area to see what was happening.

Patrick O' Connell, 24, whose Spring Street home is behind Sorensen's, said he was watching TV when he saw the flames. "It was going pretty good when I saw it," he said. He said he was concerned the fire would spread into his backyard, but it didn't.