On Saturday, May 4, 2025, the Broad Brook Fire Department was scheduled to burn down two horse stables on Depot Street in Broad Brook, Connecticut. With help from Warehouse Point Fire Department, the burn promptly started at 0900 hours.
Quickly arriving on scene, the departments got to work by laying hoses and beginning to prepare for what is to come. The first task on the to-do list was to create the firebreak by spraying down the surrounding grass, various trees in the vicinity, and even the house that was also on the property. This is to prevent the spreading of the fire to the surrounding area because of wind, heat, or flying embers.
The Broad Brook department leads then added the fuel, and the barn-fire began. It did not take long for the stables to catch despite the rain the area has experienced lately. That rich, slightly sweet smell of old burning barn wood quickly gathered in the air that was quite comforting.
The neighbors began to gather around, watching along with the firefighters and recording the blazing beauty in front of them. The flames climbed the rafters and beams just eating away at the integrity of the structure with every passing second. The orange glow and billowing black smoke hypnotized everyone, creating an illusion that time slowed down. In about twenty minutes, the stables yielded to the flame, but it felt so much longer.
The white smoke was raised, signaling the finale. Hooks tore through the ashes while the hoses followed to fully silence the once roaring fire. Before everyone knew it, the hoses were packed, and it was time to head home.
Written by Samantha Yost
Published on May 12, 2025
A special thank you to Broad Brook Fire Department for inviting Warehouse Point.
Yost Photography 