Oak Bluffs firefighters battled two fires within 24 hours between Sunday and Monday amid the high winds and snow from the week’s blizzard.
The first blaze was at 6 Great Rock Road, off Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, on Sunday evening. Oak Bluffs fire chief Stephen Foster said firefighters were alerted to the reported chimney fire at the home at about 6:50 p.m. Crews from Edgartown and Tisbury also helped at the fire.
“I arrived first on the scene to find smoke and fire showing from a two-story wood frame,” Chief Foster said Wednesday.
Fire was emanating from around the wood stove pipe on the roof, running along the roof’s peak and between its tongue and groove board.
“This was a unique situation because of the construction of the home,” he said.
No one was injured in the fire, and firefighters were able to extinguish it. Overall, the effort took about two and a half hours, during which time the storm began.
“The tenants were able to self-evacuate, there were no injuries,” he said. “There’s moderate damage to the interior ceiling and the roof area…. The tenants have a place to stay.”
The next fire occurred at 7:30 p.m. on Monday at 122 Barnes Road, where renters reported smoke coming from the basement. Firefighters found a smoldering fire in the basement ceiling underneath the hearth of the home’s fireplace.
Firefighters put out the flames and no one was hurt or displaced.
“That was at the end of the blizzard,” Chief Foster said. “We had some limited access issues that we were able to overcome. With the snow and wind, everyone did a great job.”
The causes of the fires are still being investigated, but Chief Foster noted that both appeared connected to occupants’ efforts to heat their homes amid frigid winter temperatures.
“Everyone did an excellent job under tough conditions,” he said of first responders.
This article appears in February 27, 2026.