Groton Fire Department and Mutual Aid Partners Extinguish Brush Fire That Spread to Log Cabin

GROTON — The Groton Fire Department and mutual aid partners extinguished a brush fire that spread to an unoccupied log cabin on Tuesday. 

On Tuesday, April 14, at about 1:15 p.m., Patriot Regional Emergency Communications Center received a call reporting smoke in the area of Lowell Road and Old Dunstable Road. 

All on-duty firefighters were already out of the station on two ambulance calls, but responded as soon as possible. Groton Police and the Department of Public Works Director also responded to find the source of the reported smoke. 

A Groton Police officer and Director Callahan located an approximately 100-foot by 200-foot area of brush that was burning, and immediately told dispatchers that the fire was spreading to a log cabin. Dispatchers then sent a first-alarm assignment to the area.

Firefighters arrived a short time later and began containing the brush fire while simultaneously confirming that no one was in the cabin. The fire quickly consumed the cabin, and a second alarm was struck. 

Firefighters contained the brush fire and extinguished the fire in the cabin, which was deemed a total loss. Firefighters remained on scene until about 7:30 p.m. 

There were no reported injuries.

Firefighters from Ayer, Littleton, Dunstable, Pepperell, Devens, Lunenburg, Shirley and the Massachusetts District 6 Forestry Unit provided mutual aid at the scene. Firefighters from Harvard covered Groton fire stations. 

The cause remains under investigation by the Groton Fire Department and the State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit attached to the State Fire Mashal’s Office. 

“I want to offer sincere appreciation to all of the mutual aid departments whose tireless efforts on scene were essential to our response,” said Chief Arthur Cheeks. “I also want to thank the Patriot Regional Emergency Communications Center, Groton Police, and the Groton DPW for their contributions.”

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