Andover house fire that caused $3.5M in damage likely caused by electrical problem, officials say

Aug. 8--ANDOVER -- State and local fire officials said the cause of a blaze that did millions of dollars worth of damage to a home on Brundrett Avenue is unknown, but was likely electrical in nature.

Fire Chief Michael Mansfield and state Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey announced Thursday that the cause of the July 8 fire at 8 Brundrett Ave. is undetermined, but an electrical problem in the basement ceiling most likely ignited the blaze.

The fire caused more than $3.5 million in damage to the large one-family home, officials said. Residents of the home were able to escape safely. There was one minor injury to a firefighter, officials said.

The fire appears to have started in a space in the basement ceiling above a bathroom where there was a combination vent and fan installed and other household wiring, officials said in Thursday's statement.

Investigators said they believe the fire burned undetected for some time at the rear of the building before spreading to the attic and occupied parts of the home. Additional testing may be conducted by the homeowner's insurance company, investigators said.

The fire was investigated by the Andover Fire Department, Andover Police Department and state police assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

"The residents were very fortunate to escape the home because it had been burning undetected for a length of time," Mansfield said.

Sprinklers, if installed in the home, might have prevented much of the damage, he said.

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