In a Facebook post, fire officials said rapid response to a central station alarm and a working sprinkler system at Marguerite Concrete Inc. saved it from getting worse.
Fire Chief Thomas Daige could not be reached for comment on Saturday. There was no report of any injuries.
But according to the Facebook post, firefighters received a call at 3:13 a.m. Thursday from an alarm company reporting a central station alarm at Marguerite Concrete at 11 Rosenfeld Drive. While en route to the scene, firefighters received word that two vehicles at the site were engulfed in flames, fire officials reported.
Upon arrival, firefighters discovered the two fiery vehicles parked near a cage of propane tanks, fire officials reported.
Mutual aid from the Bellingham, Hopkinton and Milford departments was called to the scene after further investigation revealed that smoke was billowing from an overhead door, said fire officials. Upton provided station coverage for Hopedale.
Because the building was equipped with a sprinkler system, it prevented the fire from extending further into the building, fire officials said, adding that after the blaze came into contact with several 55-gallon drums, an odor began seeping from the drums, along with an oil leak.
At this time, a Tier 1 hazmat team – which responds to incidents presenting little risk to the environment or to public health, according to the National Fire Protection Association, was requested to respond to the scene, said fire officials. After an investigation, the team determined there was no further health or fire risk.
James Marguerite, president of the concrete construction company, was then notified to request a hazmat cleanup company to respond to check out the 55-gallon drums. A call placed to Marguerite on Saturday was not immediately returned.
The Department of Environmental Protection was also notified, said fire officials.
At the time of the alarm, only two firefighters were on duty at the Hopedale Fire Department’s headquarters, according to fire officials. As a result, multiple off-duty personnel were called in from home, and arrived on-scene 10 to 14 minutes after the on-duty crew to assist with the fire. In all, 24 firefighters responded to the fire.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
