By Brian Messenger
bmessenger@eagletribune.com
August 22, 2008 09:40 am ANDOVER — Firefighters were hampered by a cluttered yard while trying to extinguish a blaze at a home occupied by an 80-year-old woman this week. Obscured by overgrown trees, bushes and shrubs from three sides, the house lot at the corner of Elm Street and Rock Ridge Road was also littered with objects ranging from boxes, bottles, and a tarp to old carpets and a humidifier. It made it difficult for them to run hoses and set up ladders The home, owned by Mary Manock, was featured in a Town Meeting slide show by supporters of an anti-blight bylaw seeking enforcement of property maintenance standards in town. Potential obstacles were not limited to the outside of the home, which sustained smoke, flame, heat and water damage, according to Andover Deputy fire Chief Richard Hartman. "Access outside the building was obviously impeded," said Hartman. "We had a number of extra obstructions. ... They had their challenges getting around inside." But, Hartman said firefighters were still able to put the fire out within 20 minutes. An electrical malfunction in the kitchen stove was deemed the cause of the fire. Manock, who said she did not have insurance, was unable to return to the home following the Wednesday night fire and social service agencies were working to find her shelter. She said she had lived there for 30 years since her husband died. The home is across the street from Merrimack College's rear entrance along Ridge Rock Road.
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