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Fire destroys vacant home

Photos: House destroyed in fire

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Marshall Gorby/Members of the Springfield Fire Division battle a house fire in the 400-block of Gallagher Street, Monday, Feb. 8, 2010.

By Matt Sanctis, Staff Writer Updated 8:05 AM Tuesday, February 9, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — A fire tore through a Gallagher Street home Monday, Feb. 8, forcing firefighters to battle the blaze on several fronts.

No one was injured in the fire, which caused major damage to the two-story home at 410 Gallagher St. However, firefighters said they were still looking for a dog that was in the home when the fire started.

Jackie Carson, who lives near the house, said her son-in-law was working with the home’s owner to renovate it, and eventually rent it out. She said they had been working on the renovations for two or three weeks, and had left on a trip to the hardware store just before the fire began.

Firefighters worked in below-freezing temperatures to get the fire under control. As they pounded a rear section of the home with water, the fire quickly spread to the attic and onto the roof. The flames curled up from under the roof, and thick, gray smoke could be seen far from the residence.

Battalion Chief Marc Lloyd of the Springfield Fire Division said there was already heavy smoke when firefighters arrived shortly after 3:15 p.m.

It is unclear how the fire started, but Lloyd said there was a wood burning stove on the second floor that may have been the cause.

He also said the structure of the home made it more difficult to control. The home was likely built in the late 1800s, Lloyd said, and several additions had been built onto the home over the years.

He said about 16 firefighters were on the scene, and other crews rotated in to keep them fresh while they fought the fire.

He also noted the wind helped the fire spread more quickly.

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