Dr. Leonard Bard's second-floor attic was "totally burned out" when a plumber accidentally set fire to insulation which raced up the wall, Needham Fire Department Lt. Paul Buckley said.

The fire, which burned for 20 minutes, "was merely accidental," Buckley said. "It wasn't negligence."

The plumber, who was working on frozen pipes in a bathroom underneath the attic, tried putting the fire out himself before calling for help, Buckley said. Bard and the plumber were the only people in the house.
 

Most of the belongings in the attic were saved, Buckley said, but the fire resulted in "a considerable amount of smoke and water damage."

The fire damaged the wall it climbed up into the attic as well as the ceiling and roof, which need to be ripped off and replaced, Buckley said.

"The Fire Department did an outstanding job and my family and I are very grateful to them," Bard said.