FAIRFAX FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED IN ON 9 ALARM FIRE

Hi All,

The above photo was scanned from The Burlington Free Press, Section 1B, Wednesday, June 9, 2004 edition and taken by Peter Huoppi. Identification of the firemen was made by a member of The Fairfax Fire Department.

Some friends of mine were to have moved in shortly and were looking forward to an easier way of life. I am not sure whether they had already sold their home or not.

Fire ravages Hawk's Nest

By MESSENGER STAFF

ST. ALBANS TOWN A tremendous fire has all but destroyed a brand new, multi-million-dollar congregate care facility on Route 104.
Nine fire departments, including two from Chittenden County, responded to the inferno at Hawk's Nest at 3:10 a.m.
The $3.5 million, 66-unit complex, which is managed by Cathedral Square Corporation (CSC), was still under construction. CSC was set to move residents into the facility from July 6 through Aug. 20.
The fire destroyed at least half of the huge, L-shaped building. Assessments are being made as to whether the rest is salvageable.
St. Albans Town Fire Chief Harold Cross said the flames spread quickly because fire doors had not yet been installed. "It was wide open inside," he said.
Cross said although the sprinkler system had been installed, the water had not been turned on.
Upon his department's arrival, Cross said the southeast section of the building was already involved in flames that reached through the roof.
Cross said firefighters were able to stop the blaze at the southwest corner of the building, saving one section.
Jim Dousevicz, project developer for Yandow-Dousevicz Construction Co. of South Burlington, was at the scene this morning.
His early appraisal was that nothing would be salvaged from the east wing of the building. The west wing was spared the most devastating affects of the fire but incurred water and smoke damage, he said.
Dousevicz said an insurance appraiser was to visit the site early this afternoon.
The blackened top floor of the three-story building was still smoking at 8 a.m. Exhausted firefighters milled around their trucks drinking water.
Fire departments from St. Albans Town, St. Albans City, Fairfax, Fairfield, Georgia, Swanton and Highgate responded to the blaze. Colchester and Milton departments also were at the scene.
"I can't stress mutual aid enough," said Cross. "All the agencies worked great together."
Cross said Vermont State Police are conducting an investigation into the cause of the blaze. Because the net worth is more than $1 million, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms also will investigate, Cross said.
As wisps of gray smoke drifted out of the building's burnt shell this morning, melted yellow siding dripped from the scorched exterior. Cross said firefighters were not going home anytime soon.
They were still hosing parts of the building down as of 9 a.m.
"We'll be watching this building for the better part of the day," Cross said.
He speculated that the building might have to come down today if authorities decided the chance of the fire igniting again was too great.
Hawk's Nest sits on 2.6 acres at the intersection of Route 104 and Fairfield Street, across from the Northwestern Medical Center campus.
The building is adjacent to the Franklin County Rehab & Adult Care Center, a 64-bed rehabilitation center owned by Tressa and Phil Condon that opened May 12.
A 56-year-old Franklin County Rehab resident spotted the fire and told Kathy Danis, the facility's head nurse, who reported the blaze to authorities.
The Condons called in 10 staff members to help relocate 40 residents from the rehab wing to the Mansfield wing, farther away from the Hawk's Nest. Dr. Joe Nasca, a local pediatrician, went to Franklin County Rehab from the hospital to help move patients along with AmCare Ambulance Service personnel.
"Everyone was a tremendous help," Tressa Condon said this morning.
The residents returned to their rooms at about 6 a.m. They were a little tired this morning, Condon said.
She said she and her family were driving to the fire from Sheldon Road and were shocked when they saw the flames from a hilltop.
"Our hearts were in our throats," she said. "I certainly feel for the people who were supposed to live there. Some of them have already sold their homes. From what I can see, this is a complete loss."
A steady wind that blew from south to north, away from the Condons' new facility, may have prevented an even worse catastrophe.
There were to be 48 one-bedroom apartments and 18 two-bedroom units at Hawk's Nest.
Most apartments were to have full kitchens, private bathrooms, a living room area and a private balcony or patio. A shared, common area included a dining room and kitchen, where residents were to hold community events.
Hawk's Nest also featured a beauty salon, exercise room and 47-space underground parking garage.
As of today, the Franklin County Home Health Agency was still in negotiations to provide part-time nursing services and wellness activities at the Hawk's Nest, according to Janet McCarthy, agency executive director. The agency was to start working with CSC in August.
"We certainly wish them the best," McCarthy said.
Jaime Barney, project manager for CSC, recently gave tours to 55 people to show what the units look like. CSC had expected to receive its Certificate of Occupancy from St. Albans Town on June 15, Barney recently told the Messenger.
An open house was planned for late September or early October.
Barney and other CSC officials could not be reached for comment this morning.
CSC is a Burlington-based non-profit group that owns and manages properties for seniors throughout Vermont. No one else at CSC was available for comment as of press time today.
The fire today was being compared to the July 17, 1997 blaze that leveled the former City Feed and City Carpet building on Lower Newton Street in St. Albans City.
That fire, which caused at least $1 million in damage, struck at midnight in the middle of a violent thunderstorm and, until early today, had been the most recent large fire locally.
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Messenger staffers Lee J. Kahrs, Leon Thompson, and Stina Plant contributed to this report.