Quick action by firefighters prevents large blaze in South Derry

By Shawn Cunningham
© 2020 Telegraph Publishing LLC

The quick action of area fire departments kept a late morning chimney fire from getting out of control in South Londonderry today.

Firefighters from the Champion Fire Company responded to the fire at the corner of Middletown and Crescent roads a little after 11 a.m. and when they arrived the Champion firefighters found the blaze.

A call for mutual aid went out to the Phoenix Company of Londonderry, as well as the Winhall, Windham, Weston and Stratton fire departments.

Champion Fire Chief Jeff Duda told The Telegraph that Earl Melendy had started his woodstove this morning. “And before you know it, he had a pretty good chimney fire going,” said Duda, who noted that the fire moved into the house’s third floor partitions and could have spread quickly but the house is right around the corner from the fire station and firefighters arrived quickly.

“It was a simple fire and we managed to knock it down quickly,” said Duda, who thanked the Londonderry Volunteer Rescue Squad for their help and for distributing water on a warm, sunny day.

Duda said that the house – which was built in the late 1800s – is not inhabitable and that the family is looking into what needs to be done to it.  A Londonderry Lister’s property card – which includes information from 2017 – calls the condition of the building “salvage.”

The departments involved were back in their stations returned to service by 2:15 p.m. Wednesday.