Welding Accident Burns Montville Building, Closes Rt. 85

There have been few people less disappointed than Brian Devine after their house caught fire.

“Should have let it burn down,” Devine joked.

Wednesday afternoon, an abandoned house that Devine owns across the street from 1495 Rt. 85 – and has been set ablaze many times by firefighters using it for drills – caught fire. The fire was Devine’s own doing, after he welded the basement’s bulkhead door shut, according to Montville Fire Marshal Ray Occhialini.

The fire was put out in less than 10 minutes, with the only hold-up a search to ensure no one was inside the building, according to Chesterfield Fire Chief Keith Truex. The fire was confined to the basement, although it burned a tire so it filled the entire home with smoke, Occhialini said. Devine said he was at the building about 20 minutes after he stopped welding, but Occhialini said often sparks smolder and it takes a bit for them to turn into a flame.

The home is on a 5.6-acre property on Rt. 85, Devine said. Devine said he bought it in 2006, with the plan to move his business – Devine Hydraulics – there. He was set to close the deal in 2008, but the country had a national banking crisis and the bank backed out of the deal at the last second, Devine said. He said he’s been trying to sell it ever since.

Meanwhile, he has allowed fire departments to use the building for drills, i.e. set the house on fire intentionally and then put it out. Firefighters said they plan to burn it down completely one day as part of a drill.

Rt. 85 was closed for about 45 minutes as firefighters put the fire out.