Garages lost in fire — Power in Upper Cambria area cut to aid fire-fighting effort

Electric service to more than 400 customers in Newcastle was temporarily shut off the evening of Jan. 2 as crews responded to a structure fire at 307 Upper Cambria Street that ultimately destroyed two garages, according to Lynn Kendall, a Black Hills Energy Corp. spokesman.

Black Hills Energy responded at about 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 2 at the request of the Newcastle Volunteer Fire Department, according to Kendall.

“At the request of the Newcastle Fire Department, electric service near the structure was shut off for the safety of residents and first responders, affecting more than 400 customers,” Kendall said.

Service was fully restored by 10:50 p.m. the same day. Kendall said electrical lines near the fire were de-energized, impacting customers whose homes are served by that circuit, most of them north of the railroad tracks.

“Black Hills Energy works closely with the fire department and responds to most structural fires,” Kendall said. “We de-energized the lines at the request of the fire department. While it is not common practice, it does occur when safety officials deem that having energized lines in the area poses potential risk to the situation or if the fire is near electrical infrastructure.”

Former fire chief James Curren, who led the Newcastle Volunteer Fire Department until Jan. 8, said the fire originated in a garage and then spread to a second garage.

When Curren arrived on scene at about 11:45 p.m., the first garage was “fully involved” and the west wall of the second garage had just begun to burn.

“Both garages are a total loss,” he said.

Curren said the department notified Black Hills Energy, and power was shut down because a utility technician was not yet on scene.

Although residents were home at the time of the fire, Curren said nearby houses were not threatened.

According to a Facebook post from the Newcastle Volunteer Fire Department, firefighters encountered heavy fire involvement in an outbuilding, with fire spread to a second structure and threats to additional exposures. Crews made a quick knockdown and transitioned into salvage and overhaul operations. No firefighters or civilians were injured.

The department responded with a command unit, Engine 2, Engine 1, Utility 9 and a support trailer. Fifteen firefighters and one fire explorer responded.

Curren said accessibility was a challenge. A fence separating the garages — partially chain-link and partially wood — required firefighters to position apparatus on both sides.

Curren led operations on one side of the fence, while Assistant Chief Meritt Pederson led crews on the other. Part of the fence was destroyed during the fire.

Curren said the fire continued burning until about 3 a.m. Jan. 3. He left the scene when the investigator arrived around noon later that day. The fire remains under investigation, Curren told the News Letter Journal on Jan. 12.

The fire explorer who responded assisted firefighters by completing support tasks such as filling and changing self-contained breathing apparatus bottles, retrieving tools, and helping pack and load hoses, Curren said.

Multiple Newcastle and Weston County agencies cooperated.

During the outage, the Newcastle Police Department advised the public via Facebook that audio on incoming 911 calls was distorted, likely due to the power disruption. The department asked residents to call (307) 746-4486 and select option No. 1 for clearer communication.

Curren said the fire was neither unusually severe nor minor compared to other structure fires but offered a reminder to residents.

“People need to be aware of their fire load — not just in their houses, but in their garages, too,” he said.