Lightning Ignites Two Camps
By Sandy Vondrasek Cooch

A Monday evening fire, apparently sparked by lightning, destroyed two adjacent camps on the Blaisdell farm on lower Peth Road in Randolph.

It was a night of wild weather, with periods of torrential rains, and near constant thunder and lightning.

Bea Blaisdell said the camps, one old and abandoned and the other about 20 years old and unfinished, were not insured. However, Blaisdell said she was feeling thankful that it was the cabins—and not anyone’s home or Blaisdell barns—that were struck.

"It was minor, compared to what could have happened, and no one was hurt," she said.

The older camp, which was probably struck first, was reduced to blackened timbers. The newer camp, probably ignited by the first fire, suffered significant damage, and is now a roofless "skeleton," she said.

"It ignited some of the trees," Blaisdell added, "but I don’t think there was enough damage but they will survive."

Blaisdell said her daughter Mary spotted the fire at about 8 p.m., when she went on their farmhouse porch. The cabins sat in a wooded area at the edge of a field, with only one cabin visible from the road.

Prior to that, a passerby, Roger Poulin, had noticed the blaze and had stopped at the Wallman/Stratton home, just above the Blaisdells’ and asked them to call 911. Gay Stratton said there had been a terrific clap just before then.

According to Randolph Village Fire Chief Jay Collette, four local departments were quickly on site, as they had already been toned out that evening on other calls.

The Randolph Village Department had just returned to the station after a DHART helicopter landing at the hospital, and the East Randolph, Randolph Center, and Brookfield departments were all out on various reports of downed trees and wires, or for activated alarms.

Chief Collette noted that East Randolph, in particular, has been busy in the last month responding to weather-related problems.

Brookfield, East Randolph, and Randolph Center all sent equipment and manpower to assist Randolph Village firefighters, Collette said.

The departments had ready access to water, as the Randolph Village Department had installed a dry hydrant at the bridge over Ayers’ Brook, just below the Blaisdell farm. Collette was out of town that night, and First Asst. Chief Larry Thurston directed the firefighters.

The road was closed to traffic for about two hours as tankers ferried water from the brook to the fire.

Bea Blaisdell noted that she and her husband Warren did not build, nor much use, the cabins, which became theirs when they purchased the woods. The newer building was completely sided, roofed and insulated, but was unfinished inside.

"We were hoping, eventually, we would be able to fix it up and use it ourselves or rent it at deer hunting time for extra income—but that didn’t happen."

Hydrants Help

Randolph Village Fire Chief Collette noted this week that there are now dozens of dry hydrants in the area—some installed by the fire departments (mostly roadside, by streams) and others by landowners. The hydrants, which make it easy for firefighters to hook up their hoses and pumps to a water source, have more than once proved their value, he said.

Collette urged landowners who are putting in ponds to consider installing a dry hydrant, as well. The fire department will provide materials and advise landowners on siting.

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