Flames destroy home of DMB bassist (updated 1:05pm)
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Seth Rosen and Brian McNeil / Charlottesville Daily Progress
Published: November 29, 2007
The blaze started at 7:30 a.m. at Lessard's house on Morgantown Road. Lessard, 33, and his son were in the house at the time of the fire and escaped unharmed.
According to firefighters, Lessard and his son heard a "crackling" in the kitchen. When Lessard poked his head in, he saw a fire raging out of control.
"They saw a rapidly moving fire so they got out of the house," said Bob Brown, assistant chief of the Albemarle County Department of Fire Rescue.
Firefighter crews from five different fire companies began arriving at the scene 12 minutes after they were called and remained for hours afterward trying to extinguish the fire.
"When the first crews arrived on scene, the house was already totally involved in flame," Brown said.
Officials have no reason to believe arson or foul play was involved in the fire, said Lee Catlin, Albemarle spokeswoman.
"It was apparently a nice, large home and it suffered very substantial damage," Catlin said.
The cause of the fire was under investigation Thursday afternoon, as firefighters were preparing to excavate portions of the house with heavy equipment. Brown said it could take several days before the cause is known for sure.
Firefighters believe that the fire started outside the 3,724-square-foot house, which was constructed out of cedar shake and last assessed at $880,000. Built in 2001, Lessard purchased the 6-acre rural farm estate in December 2003, according to county records.
Firefighters do not yet have an estimate of the damage, but the house and its contents were considered a total loss.
"It's safe to say the damage will be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars," Brown said.
By mid-afternoon, the rubble of the house was still smoking. Firefighters continue spraying water to extinguish hot spots.
Lessard, known by his nickname Fonz, could not be reached for comment Thursday. On his MySpace page, however, Dave Matthews Band fans expressed their support.
"Incredibly sorry to hear about the home, but truly relieved that you and the family made it out safely," wrote one fan. "Our thoughts are with you, Fonz. Take care!"
Another fan wrote: "What a terrible loss. Stay strong and look forward. You know you have a huge group of people behind you, wishing you the best."
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