Fire destroyed a house and attached garage on Higgins Hill Road on Friday

Fire destroyed a house and attached garage on Higgins Hill Road on Friday, torching a 1968 Volkswagen Beetle in the process. When firefighters arrived, they found flames over-taking the garage and the owner of the car, Jeffrey Carrasco, trying to pull the car out of the garage with a chain attached to his truck. Carrasco was told to clear the area, and the car stayed in the garage to burn with the chain still attached to the nearby truck. The Carrascos said they have been in the process of trying to purchase the house, which is bank-owned due to foreclosure. According to Carrie Carrasco, people have been squatting in the home, and they have caused damage and stolen items that belong to the Carrascos. Carrie said they reported the theft and damage to the State Police.  The Carrascos said they had gone to the property to clean up glass from windows that had been smashed. They found burning trash in the front yard and flames had spread to the garage.