Lightning causes fire at historic Cornwall home

CORNWALL — One of Cornwall’s most notable homes was partially destroyed April 21 when it was set ablaze by lightning that struck a nearby tree.

A passerby, reportedly a cable TV serviceman, called in a fire at about 4:15 a.m. at 344 Cream Hill Road, at a stately, white Colonial-style home built in 1860. The homeowners, the Green family, were at their New York City residence at the time.

A thunderstorm that hit the area a few hours earlier was clearly the cause. A tree about 100 feet from a sunroom at the north end of the house shows burn marks, and two trenches run from its base to the house, following large roots that were just below the surface. 

All that remains of the sunroom is a fireplace and chimney. The fire spread to the second floor and attic, where firefighters were busy hours later tossing charred debris out of windows in an effort to find hot spots that could reignite. The lawn was strewn with burned furniture. The first floor was reportedly intact, sustaining some water damage. It remains to be seen if the house can or will be saved. 

It appears there was no automatic alarm system. 

A mutual aid effort, particularly for a tanker relay to bring water to the site, was immediately initiated. Departments from Falls Village, Goshen, Sharon, Warren, Lakeville, North Canaan and Norfolk responded. A tanker relay brought water up from a source on Music Mountain Road. 

At 5:12 a.m., a call went out to the Canaan Fire Company, Falls Village Fire and Lakeville Hose for all available manpower. Mutual aid was extended to send manpower and fire trucks to cover for departments that responded to the scene. The fire was reported to be contained soon after. 

During the mop-up, one firefighter was taken to the hospital with an eye injury.

The property includes stables and an artist’s studio, which were untouched. The property is valued at about $1 million. Former residents include the Gannett family and Whoopi Goldberg. 

A lithograph of the house and outbuildings by Ruth Gannett appeared on the cover of Lewis Gannett’s book, “Cream Hill, Discoveries of a Weekend Countryman.”

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