Garage catches fire in Tisbury

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Updated 3 pm

At approximately 12 noon on Thursday, Tisbury firefighters responded to a call of flames coming from the service garage at Brickstone Construction, 461 Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road.

The fire was quickly contained, but thick smoke was still billowing out of the building at 12:30. The building had been evacuated.

Tisbury Fire Chief John Schilling said the fire was accidental, and specific cause is still under investigation. There were no injuries reported.

The Oak Bluffs Fire/EMS Department and Edgartown Fire Department provided mutual aid at the scene.

Because the fire hydrants were on the opposite side of Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road, the road was closed and traffic was detoured for over an hour. “It was a bit of a challenge to stop traffic on Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road; the police had their hands full,” Chief Schilling said. “Fire departments are manpower-challenged during the day, and we greatly appreciate people getting to the scene so quickly. We had a very fast response.”

The building sustained interior damage, but it will not have to be demolished. Firefighters also saved a classic car, covering it with tarps to spare it from fire and water damage.

Chief Schilling said the building was particularly vulnerable to fire because of the the balloon frame construction — an older design of timber studs that run continuously from the basement to the attic without any firestopping, which can allow fires to spread rapidly.


Updated to include more details.