The fire, which was first reported around 12:45 p.m., had already engulfed the structure by the time emergency crews arrived, according to Charlestown’s Assistant Fire Chief, Shawn O’Hearne.
Firefighters battled the intense blaze for roughly two hours before it was brought under control. The homeowner, who was inside the garage when the fire started, suffered burns to his arms and hands. He received initial treatment at Valley Regional Hospital in Claremont before being transferred to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon for more specialized care.
The garage was once the home of James R. Robarge, convicted in 2015 for the murder of his wife, Kelly Robarge, on the same day she filed for divorce in June 2013. The residence, where investigators found evidence of a violent confrontation was uncovered during the trial, had been converted into a garage and workshop by the current owners, who built a new house nearby.
Although the intense heat from the fire melted some of the siding on the new residence, the home itself escaped major damage. The garage, however, was completely destroyed. O’Hearne said there was a motorcycle inside but no motor vehicles.
Investigators believe the fire started in the garage, but the exact cause remains undetermined. Authorities have indicated that there is no reason to suspect foul play. At the time of the fire, the garage housed a motorcycle, but no other vehicles were present.
Firefighters from several neighboring towns, including Langdon, North Walpole, Claremont, and Unity, and Springfield and Rockingham, VT, joined the Charlestown department in responding to the scene.


