By Dawson Raspuzzi
The Brattleboro Reformer
SHAFTSBURY, Vt. — An early morning blaze claimed the lives of an elderly Shaftsbury couple Monday.
Shaftsbury Fire Chief Joe Vadakin said a neighbor called 911 shortly before 4 a.m., and by the time the first firefighters arrived at the home of Eugene and Ruth Kosche at 3307 state Route 7A, the fire was fully involved.
The couple, ages 82 and 92 respectively, apparently died in the fire. Fire investigators from the Vermont State Police were on scene Monday morning, although the cause of the fire has not been determined.
“While the cause of the fire is still being investigated, it does not appear suspicious and is likely accidental in nature,” said Detective Lt. Timothy Oliver.
Vadakin said the two-story house had flames coming from both stories and through the roof when the first firefighters arrived about five or six minutes after the call came in.
“Upon arrival the house was fully involved. We quickly determined there may be two people inside. It was mostly an exterior battle, we didn’t make way into the house because of the extent of the flames,” Vadakin said in the early afternoon as firefighters on scene were still hosing down the leveled remains.
The fire took about 30 minutes to knock down. Efforts were slowed due to temperatures hovering around zero degrees. Both bodies were recovered and autopsies will be performed at the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office. Crews were on scene until about 2 p.m.
“We had some problems with water supply and some mechanical problems with the trucks freezing up,” Vadakin said. “Of course our ponds are frozen so we had to cut holes in the ice (and) a couple of our hydrants malfunctioned because of the cold.”
Vadakin said the Kosches were longtime Shaftsbury residents who will be greatly missed.
“They’ve been here forever,” the chief said. “It’s just a real tragedy because they were a part of this community for a long, long time. They raised their family here. The Shaftsbury Fire Department, our hearts go out to the family and friends.”
Eugene Kosche was for a long time curator of the Bennington Museum and was still an active member of the museum’s collections committee, said Tyler Resch, research librarian at the Bennington Museum and former Banner editor. The couple was well-known around Shaftsbury as quite knowledgeable bird watchers, Resch said.
Banner archives have several photos of Eugene Kosche at the museum with antique guns and exhibitions of toys, China, and a miniature steam engine. Resch said Kosche was very knowledgeable about anything mechanical.
In addition to Shaftsbury, fire departments of Arlington, North Bennington, Bennington Rural, Bennington, and North Hoosick, N.Y., assisted on scene. Bennington Rescue Squad was also on scene and Pownal Fire Department was on standby.
Oliver said while all the details of the fire are not known, he encourages everyone to make sure working fire and smoke detectors are in everyone’s home.
If anyone has any information regarding this fire, they are asked to call the Shaftsbury State Police barracks at 442-5421.
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