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Firefighter Battles Carver Fire That Destroys His Home

CARVER (CBS) - A fire that destroyed the historic home of a Carver firefighter is considered accidental but remains under investigation.

A GoFundMe page created by the Carver Firefighter's Association to help the family of Steven Blanchard had raised more than $11,000.

"Obviously it hits a little home when it's someone that's one of your firefighters that lost everything basically in the fire," Carver Fire Chief Craig Weston said.

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A fire destroyed the historic home of a Carver firefighter. (Photo: Carver Fire Department)

No injuries were reported in the fire on Monday afternoon.

Blanchard is a 26-year veteran of the Carver Fire Department, and also worked as a former dispatcher. His son, Tim, also works as a Carver firefighter.

Both father and son were among the 47 Carver firefighters and officers who responded to a report of a structure fire in the area of South Main Street shortly after 3 p.m. Monday. Fifteen firefighters provided mutual aid from Plymouth, Wareham, Middleboro and Plympton.

Tim lives about a mile away and got to the scene quickly, helping determine that no one was inside. His dad later arriving seeing flames coming from his own home. Neither backing down from their duties.

"They stayed focus, they did the same thing, they did their job. They were busy filling air packs and taking care of some rehab stuff and working with some of the water supply issues," Carver Fire Chief Craig Weston said.

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Dozens of local firefighters responded to the fire. (Photo: Carver Fire Department)

When firefighters arrived, they found flames billowing from the more than 250-year-old home.

"The home was built in the 1750s and was of balloon-type construction, making the fire spread through the entire structure," Chief Weston said. "Firefighters worked feverishly for well over an hour to control the blaze, trying to save the home and belongings."

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The fire spread easily through the wooden-framed house. (Photo: Carver Fire Department)

Weston said his department is working with Blanchard's family, as they lost "generations" of family heirlooms, "to assist in any way possible and get them back on their feet."

"Please keep our fellow firefighter and his family in your thoughts and prayers as they try to recover from this tragedy," he said.

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