Officials: Wood stove caused fire that destroyed duplex

NEWPORT CITY, Vt. (AP) - Fire officials in Vermont say a wood stove caused a fire that destroyed a duplex over the weekend.

The Caledonian-Record reports crews responded to a fire at the Newport City home on Saturday. Firefighters quickly contained the blaze, preventing it from spreading to nearby homes.

The two residents left the duplex and weren’t injured during the fire.

Newport City Fire Chief Jamie LeClair determined the fire started in the basement of the home near a large wood stove. LeClair says wooden joists in the ceiling caught fire “after years of heating by the wood stove.”

The Vermont Department of Public Safety Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit has confirmed LeClair’s findings.

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Information from: The Caledonian-Record, http://www.caledonianrecord.com