An early-morning blaze Monday destroyed a building at a Contoocook lumber business, according to fire officials.
Hopkinton fire Chief Jeff Yale said fire personnel responded to a report of a structure fire at 5:30 a.m. Monday morning at Herrick Millworks Inc. at 290 Burnham Intervale Road in Contoocook. The structure, which was used to store wood chips that fueled the company’s lumber kiln, was consumed by fire when personnel arrived. The building collapsed a short time later.
Yale said the blaze was put out in about half an hour, but the overhaul work, which included removing debris and checking for any remaining fire spots, took much longer. Fire personnel cleared the scene at 8:15 a.m.
Yale said it is too early to determine what may have caused the fire and that the incident is under investigation. He said the blaze did not spread to any nearby buildings and described the property damage as “relatively minimal.”
Hopkinton fire, ambulance and rescue personnel, as well as the Warner Fire Department, responded to the scene.
Herrick Millworks Inc. could not be reached for comment by telephone.
(Caitlin Andrews can be reached at 369-3309, candrews@cmonitor.com or on Twitter at @ActualCAndrews.)