Woman taken to hospital after Sullivan fire

Jan. 16--SULLIVAN -- A Sullivan woman whose home caught fire Monday morning was taken to the hospital suffering from smoke inhalation.

Donna J. Watterson was sick and sleeping at home at 161 Centre St. on the second floor when the smoke detector went off, waking her up, according to her husband, Daryl Watterson. He said when Donna woke up, the house was full of smoke.

The cause of the second-alarm fire was a hair dryer set to low that Daryl had put near a frozen pipe in the basement, he said. He left the house and was called back by his wife shortly after she was awakened by the smoke detector.

Flames were contained to the basement and the kitchen, according to Keene Fire Chief Mark F. Howard. He said the basement and first floor had extensive water and smoke damage.

The Keene Fire Department responded to the fire at 10:04 a.m. By 10:19 a.m., the department requested backup and upgraded it to a second-alarm. The fire was contained about 10:30 a.m.

No one was seriously injured in the fire, including two cats, a dog, three sheep, four goats and seven alpaca. The couple owns Their Heaven Can Wait rescue farm and the farm animals were in a fenced area in front of the house. The cats and dog were inside and were rescued by Donna Watterson.

Daryl said he got home before any fire personnel had arrived. He attempted to enter the house to save a drawer full of tax, insurance and title papers but didn't make it more than 2 feet into the house before he was overcome by smoke.

Fire personnel rescued those belongings once they arrived. Many other things were lost in the fire.

But, Daryl said, "They're just things.

"It could have been worse."

Neighbor Glenna Burton of Sullivan sat outside the Wattersons' home watching smoke billow from the windows while fire personnel removed items from inside. She said she saw the smoke and helped Donna bring the animals inside the barn. She also said the couple is welcome to stay with her for as long as they need.

Friend and distant neighbor Emily Hartshorne of Nelson came to the Wattersons' to check on them. She, too, extended an invitation to Daryl.

"Our house is your house," Hartshorne told him.

He replied with a joke and told her he didn't have any farm fresh eggs for her today.

Other neighbors also came over, concerned about the couple's safety.

In addition to Keene, fire departments including Gilsum, Harrisville, Nelson, Stoddard, Sullivan and Swanzey were also on scene.

Callie Ginter can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1409 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @CGinterKS.

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