Brush Fire off Somerset Road

A brush fire raced across six to ten acres of land on Somerset Road Thursday afternoon, coming within 20 yards of a home before the Nantucket Fired Department was able to contain the blaze.

Six homes in the area were evacuated, but none of the structures were damaged. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to NFD chief Mark McDougall.

While fighting the fire, firefighters also had to help one of their own as an unidentified call firefighter suffered a possible heart attack while battling the blaze. His condition was not released, but was

An injured firefighter is loaded into an ambulance as the brush fire burns just yards away.

 alert and breathing as he was taken to Nantucket Cottage Hospital.

Further complicating matters was the break down of Engine One, which had to be towed away from the scene and was blocking Somerset Road for a time.

The fire was located across the street from 52 Somerset Road.

- by Peter A. Sutters Jr.

(Posted Thursday, April 24 at 1:50 p.m. updated at 4 p.m.)