Monroe Deputy Fire Chief Josh Krize was the first to arrive on the scene of a blaze at 4 Fernwood Road after a neighbor across the street reported it at 1:52 Friday morning. Fire Marshal Bill Davin, who is also chief of the Monroe fire company, said the front wall of the house had collapsed.
Davin said Krize told him, "It was spinning like a tornado."
The right side of the house had also collapsed, as well as the second floor bedrooms, according to Davin. He said nobody was home and that no firefighters were injured fighting the fire, adding the house is a total loss.
"It was evident it had quite head start," Davin said of the blaze.
It took firefighters close to 25 minutes to get the fire under control and, due to the collapse inside the house, Davin said numerous overhaul operations were undertaken. The Highway Department sent in a backhoe to assist and Davin said firefighters left the scene at around noon.
When asked about the fire's cause and origin, Davin said, "It's still an open investigation. It's undetermined right now."
According to the field card, the four-bedroom colonial belongs to Fred and Ida Collazo.
