BERNARDSTON — A two-alarm fire consumed the home of Bob and Linda Raymond at 178 Turners Falls Road on Monday evening.

A neighbor reported the blaze at around 5:45 p.m., and the first firefighter to arrive reported flames showing through the roof of the 250-year-old, post-and-beam home, prompting a second alarm and a call for mutual aid from area fire departments.

No one was in the one-and-a-half-story home at the time of the fire, with Bob Raymond, who retired from the Bernardston Selectboard in the spring after 15 years, having been at work in Hinsdale, New Hampshire. His wife, Linda, had left home to watch their grandchildren play basketball at Pioneer Valley Regional School in Northfield. Both were alerted to the fire and returned home while firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.

Watching firefighters pour water on all sides of his home, Bob Raymond remarked, “Best firefighters in the world. The only thing I was afraid of was fire and lightning.”

Raymond recounted how years ago the home was struck by lightning, but they were home at the time and the Fire Department was able to save the structure.

“We are kind of lucky we weren’t home,” Raymond said. “It went up so fast we might not have gotten out.”

The Raymonds have several relatives in the area where they might stay, with their daughter living right next door. Raymond said the home was insured.

The rear of the structure where the kitchen and wood stove were was completely destroyed, while the front of the home was still standing but heavily damaged.

Fire Chief Peter Shedd said he believes the fire was related to the wood stove. He added that the house was “pretty much a total loss.”

Responding fire departments included Bernardston, Greenfield, Turners Falls, Gill, Northfield and South Deerfield, as well as Guilford, Brattleboro and Vernon, Vermont.

Reach Paul Franz at pfranz@recorder.com or 413-930-4128.

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