An attached three-car garage and the apartment above it were destroyed in a three-alarm blaze that struck a multi-million dollar home on Gloucester's Back Shore early last night.
The Gloucester Fire Department, with help from firefighters from Cape Ann and beyond, knocked down the smoky flames by last evening.
There were no reported injuries, but the fire heavily damaged the property on Bass Rocks Road — the narrow road that loops off Nautilus Road and goes out to the point separating Good Harbor Beach from the main portion of the Back Shore.
Firefighters knocked out nearly every window on the side of the home facing Good Harbor Beach. They also used chainsaws to break through the garage doors.
Dozens gathered around the property, stopped their cars on Atlantic Road or stopped what they were doing on the beach to watch crews battle the flames, which tore through the garage roof, and at times leapt several feet into the air.
Billowing brown smoke could be seen for miles — from the Route 128 Extension to the city's downtown.
"It appears they were able to keep it to the garage and that's going to be the extent of the damage," Fire Inspector Joseph Mountain said at the scene.
According to police, the station was inundated with 20 to 30 calls reporting the fire, which started just before 6 p.m.
Firefighters and emergency crews sounded a second alarm to the home at 9 Bass Rocks Road, minutes after their arrival, then sounded a third alarm at 6:25.
Fire officials called in Gloucester Police Detectives Ken Ryan and Steve Mizzoni to the scene, as well as the state fire marshal's office, but there was not yet any indication of any cause of the blaze as of last night.
The house was reportedly under renovation — sections of the home and roof had missing siding and shingles — and there were workers on the property. There was, however, no one in the home at the time, Deputy Fire Chief Andrew McRobb said.
The property is owned by Harold Werlin, Jr., who acquired it in 1976, according to city records. It is listed in the city's directory with an assessed value of some $2.2 million.
Emergency officials closed a section of Nautilus Road from Atlantic to Beach roads, and access to Atlantic Road was closed at Moorland Road. However, Atlantic Road was re-opened to traffic by 8 p.m., police said.
Fire departments from Rockport, Essex, Manchester, Hamilton, Beverly and Peabody all responded for support, either to the scene or to cover Gloucester's stations.
Jonathan L'Ecuyer can be reached at 978-283-7000 x 3451 or jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.
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