Lawnmower Sparks West Newbury House Fire

A lawnmower is being blamed for sparking a fire that burned a West Newbury house on Saturday afternoon.

Firefighters arriving at the house on Reeds Lane found the side of the single family house and deck fully engulfed in heavy smoke and flames around 12:15 p.m., according to the West Newbury Fire Department. Multiple alarms were struck which brought in fire companies from at least eight surrounding towns.

The residents of the house were able to get out before firefighters arrived and were displaced as the house was determined to be uninhabitable.  No firefighters were injured in the fire.

"Amesbury Fire Chief Berkenbush and I were at the Lower Merrimack Valley Regional Collaborative Vaccine Clinic when I first received the call for the fire," West Newbury fire chief Michael Dwyer said. “We quickly left the clinic to respond to the scene to assist first responders. Thanks to their immediate and efficient response, we were able to quickly knock down the flames."

Members of the Boxford, Merrimac, Groveland, Georgetown, Newburyport, Amesbury and Newbury fire departments responded to the scene to assist. The South Hampton Air Trailer, Atlantic Ambulance and West Newbury Police Department also responded to the scene. The Haverhill, Salisbury, Newton, NH and Plaistow, NH fire departments responded to provide station coverage.

The origin and cause of the fire is under investigation by the West Newbury Fire Department.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH