Crews work to put out a fire at JB Sawmill and Land Clearing off Fruit Street on Thursday morning. PHOTO/HOPKINTON FIRE DEPARTMENT

JB Sawmill and Land Clearing burned down Thursday morning in a Fruit Street fire, rendering the facility “a total loss,” according to Hopkinton’s fire chief.

In an interview Thursday evening with the Independent, HFD Chief Gary Daugherty described the blaze and challenges firefighters encountered.

“The 911 call came in at 9:17:59,” Daugherty said. “The first engine arrived at 9:24, but I was there and the deputy chief [Scott Jurasek] was there before then.

“It was a distance to travel there because we only have the one fire station,” continued Daugherty.

The Woodville Fire Station at 238 Wood Street, known as Station 2, closed in December 2022 due to severe disrepair. The 1960s building had an unsafe structure and a leaking roof. It is located near the sawmill.

“When we arrived, the fire fully involved the lumber processing plant,” Daugherty explained. “We were able to get the fire under control in about 35 minutes. But it was difficult because the building folded in on itself. There were also huge piles of sawdust on fire that had to be put apart.”

The fire destroyed the JB Sawmill building, PHOTO/HOPKINTON FIRE DEPARTMENT

Fire crews from Ashland, Southborough, Westborough, Upton, Hopedale and Milford were called in to provide mutual aid.

What made the blaze harder to extinguish was that the nearest fire hydrant was 1,800 feet away, he noted.

“It takes two trucks to be able to connect to it and get the water down to the sawmill,” said Daugherty. “Luckily, the fire hydrant was shoveled out, either by a neighbor or by the DPW.”

“It’s a total loss,” he added, noting that he could not give an estimated monetary value of the damage because of the destruction of the lumber and equipment inside.

While Daugherty said the fire is being investigated by the state fire marshal’s office, he noted, “It looks like an accident.”

The fire closed down Fruit Street for several hours Thursday morning. It also led to Water/Sewer Department manager Jed Fenneuff sending an email to residents addressing concerns about potential water discoloration throughout town due to the fire.