SALISBURY — A Gardner Street resident was transported via ambulance to an area hospital Wednesday after an early morning deck fire threated to consume the entire house.
Passersby and neighbors saw smoke coming from 10 Gardner St. shortly before 7 a.m. and called for help, according to Salisbury Fire Chief Scott Carrigan.
When local firefighters – augmented by Amesbury, Seabrook and Newburyport firefighters- arrived they saw flames coming from a deck area on the side of the building. Residents inside the home had gotten out safely, Carrigan added.
Firefighters were able to squelch the fire before it extended into the main part of the house. As per procedure, firefighters went inside to make sure flames had not extended inside.
“They did an excellent job getting quick water on the fire, knocking the fire down quickly and accounting for all the residents who self-evacuated,” Carrigan said.
Carrigan said the female resident suffering from smoke inhalation was brought to the hospital. There were no other injuries.
The singly-family raised Colonial was built around 1900 and was last assessed at $433,000, according to the town’s assessor’s database. Carrigan said the town’s building inspector was called to the scene.
“The fire is under investigation. I don’t have a cause but it appears it started on the outside of the building. It wasn’t obvious when they arrived,” Carrigan said, who added he was “very pleased with the work that was done by all the personnel.”
Gardner Street is located off Elm Street near an entrance to the town’s rail trail and is close to Salisbury Square.