A fire damaged the Basil Biggs House on the Gettysburg battlefield early yesterday morning. Smoke alarms activated around 3 a.m., alerting emergency responders to the blaze. A fire suppression system installed in the historic house in 2002 activated and three fire companies responded. The fire, which started in the attic, caused extensive damage to the roof. The building’s interior suffered water damage as a result of the suppression effort. A park employee and his family live in the home, but were able to escape without injury. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. No cost estimate for the damage is available at this time. The Basil Biggs farmhouse dates to 1850-1860. Located on Taneytown Road, the house was behind Union battle lines on Cemetery Ridge during the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, and troops used it for cover and concealment. Its position close to major battle action made it one of the busiest of the forward hospital aid stations during the battle. In 2002, the park received special funding for and installed fire suppression systems in 50 historic structures on the Gettysburg battlefield, including the Biggs farmhouse.
