Tag Archives: Massachusetts

Apartment Building, Residential

Yarmouth, MA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment complex; No injuries reported

Firefighters rushed to the Yarmouth Commons Apartments sometime before 12:30 PM after reports of a kitchen fire on the 3rd floor. Mutual aid from Dennis also responded to the scene. A sprinkler system controlled the fire and limited damage to the kitchen. No injuries were reported. Further details were not immediately available.

In response to a reader inquiry, Cape Wide News reached out to Yarmouth Fire and received the following statement from Deputy Chief Jon Sawyer: “The building is not habitual at this time. There are 40 apartments and 39 were occupied. As of  7:30 PM (Saturday), the sprinkler and fire alarm systems had been restored, broken windows in the fire apartment had been boarded up and restoration crews were on scene working hard to remove water and dry things out. All three floors sustained water damage.

The towns Building and Electrical Inspectors were on scene and are ready to assist contractors as soon as they are ready.

Families were allowed back into the building to collect medications and belongings as soon as it was safe.

Red Cross did a fantastic job assisting families as well as the management of the complex.

Everyone involved knows families are displaced and are doing everything possible to get them back home as quickly as possible.”

The apartments were constructed on the site of the former Cavalier Motel.

Storage / Warehouse, Warehouse

Norwood, MA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at pallet warehouse

In the evening hours of Friday, June 10, the Norwood Fire Department responded to an alarm at 675 Canton St. The alarm was triggered after a fire sprinkler activation at a large commercial structure which houses a pallet warehouse.

Upon arrival, the first unit reported dense plumes of smoke billowing from the warehouse. Quickly recognizing the potential for a rapidly escalating fire, they promptly called a 2nd Alarm, bringing in additional firefighting resources from the surrounding towns.

Firefighters began the challenging task of locating the source of the fire amidst the smoke-filled, pallet-strewn warehouse. After a grueling 45 minutes into the incident, they succeeded in locating the fire’s origin, quickly getting water on it, and managing to suppress the flames effectively.

Despite the successful initial efforts, the situation called for further assistance, leading to the activation of a third alarm. This call brought in even more resources and manpower to help overhaul the aftermath of the fire.

To aid in the smoke clearance of the warehouse, large fans were brought in to help with ventilation. This effort made it safer for the fire department units to work in the interior and ensure no hidden fire pockets would flare-up later on.

Units from neighboring towns including Foxborough, Westwood, Sharon, and others all responded to the fire, contributing to the efficient management of what could have been a catastrophic disaster. Their coordinated efforts ensured the massive warehouse sustained minimal damage.

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Nantucket, MA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at restaurant; No injuries reported

The Nantucket Fire Department responded to The Gaslight restaurant at 3 North Union Street at approximately 9 a.m. Sunday morning to combat a basement fire.

The initial report from dispatch was a general fire alarm  but once NFD members arrived on scene, they were able to smell smoke from the outside of the restaurant – prompting dispatch to call extra personnel to the station to respond.

“When our first engine showed up they saw heavy smoke coming from the basement and once they made entry into the basement, they determined there was a fire,” fire chief Michael Cranson said. “The sprinkler system had activated and held the fire from getting any worse. The crews were able to pretty quickly knock the fire down but we just had a ton of clean up, smoke, and carbon monoxide throughout the entire building.”

“Nobody got hurt. Nobody got killed. The sprinkler system did its job so that is a big boost for the push for sprinkler systems,” Cranson added. “That is a perfect example of how they save lives and they save properties.”

The NFD began to ventilate the building with fans and after the fire was extinguished, began to pump water out of the building.

“Our fire prevention officers were on scene doing the investigation. The Health Department, the wiring inspector was on scene. Everyone was doing their due diligence to make sure that everybody was safe and everything was being done according to code.”

Cranson said the cause of the fire is still under investigation at this time, but confirmed that there is a large amount of smoke and water damage.

“There is a ton of smoke and water damage in the basement,” Cranson said. “Then there is some smoke damage throughout the rest of the building but hopefully they can get that resolved and fixed rather quickly.”

Three engines, two fire cruisers, one ambulance, one police truck, and one police cruiser were on scene. Over a dozen NFD personnel responded.

Gaslight manager Devin Perras confirmed to the Current that The Gaslight will not be open today due to the fire.

Cranson said they will be “closed up for a while” but there is no timetable for when they will reopen.

The Gaslight later posted on their social media that they would be closed Sunday and for “the next few nights” while expressing their gratitude for the NFD.

“We are so grateful to the Nantucket Fire Department for their quick response to the basement fire (Sunday) morning,” they said. “They had it under control in no time. Sprinkler systems work and ours definitely saved our restaurant and venue from heavy damage or total loss. Back to feed you and rock out soon.”

Hotel / Restaurant, Restaurant

Oak Bluffs, MA – Sprinkler system contains fire at restaurant

A fire that started early Sunday morning has damaged an Oak Bluffs restaurant that was planning to open this spring.

At 3:48 a.m., Oak Bluffs fire crews responded to 6 Circuit avenue after a report of smoke detectors going off, said deputy fire chief Stephen Foster. When firefighters arrived they found smoke coming from the basement of the building.

The location is the former space occupied by The Cardboard Box, where Mikado is planning to open its second Island restaurant and the building has been undergoing renovations.

A sprinkler in the building largely contained the fire, which, according to fire chief Nelson Wirtz, was caused by the careless disposal of smoking materials, Mr. Foster said.

Firefighters found a box with rags in the building and believe the fire started there before spreading to a wooden table.

Fire crews from Tisbury and Edgartown aided Oak Bluffs at the fire, Mr. Foster said. The building, which had about a foot and a half of water in it, was then ventilated. Residents who live above the restaurant were able to return to their apartments.

“We were lucky to have the fire mainly knocked down,” Mr. Foster said. “The sprinkler system did exactly what it was supposed to do.”

Firefighters were staying on Circuit avenue throughout Sunday to monitor the building.

Mikado got approvals from the town in January to open the Oak Bluffs restaurant. The unit was formerly home to the Cardboard Box.

Proprietor Xi Yu had previously said he planned to open the new location on April 1. A request for comment to the business was not immediately returned Sunday. 

Apartment Building, Residential, Townhouse / Condominium

Somerville, MA – Sprinkler systems activated for two separate fires

Sprinkler systems in two Somerville buildings prevented serious fires this past week during the early morning hours while occupants were asleep, accoding to Somerville Fire Department’s Chief Engineer Charles Breen Jr.

On Friday, Oct. 28t at 4:25 a.m. the Somerville Fire Department was notified of a fire alarm activation via a building alarm system which was directly connected to the city fire alarm box system.

Firefighters were dispatched to 32 Kent Street, a 40 unit, four story wood frame apartment building. Firefighters encountered smoke on the fourth floor and forced entry into a 4th floor apartment. They found a man on the floor inside and removed him to safety. He was taken to the hospital.

Sprinklers confined the fire to one room in the apartment and firefighters completed extinguishment. Due to water damage, the building was evacuated and all occupants were temporarily displaced. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental due to smoking.

On Sunday, Oct. 30, the department was notified of a fire alarm activation from an alarm monitoring company at 4:09 a.m.

Firefighters were dispatched to an address on Lake Street and arrived to find a sprinkler head operating in a ground level garage in a row of three story town houses.

One sprinkler head confined the fire to a very limited area in the garage and, after verifying that the fire was out, crews were able to clear the scene in 15 minutes.

The cause of the fire was determined to be an unattended candle that had ignited nearby combustible items.

Nursing Home/Senior Living, Residential

Wilbraham, MA – Sprinkler system extinguishes fire at nursing home; No injuries reported

Emergency crews were called to a fire at a Wilbraham nursing home Monday morning.

Wilbraham Fire Chief Michael Andrews said that a 911 calls came in around 6:10 a.m. Monday for a kitchen fire at Vantage Nursing Home on Maple Street.

Firefighters arrived four minutes later and found heavy smoke coming from the kitchen area and that the facility’s sprinkler system activated and extinguished the fire.

Residents of the nursing home were told to shelter-in-place while crews worked to ventilate the smoke from that area of the building.

Mutual aid from Ludlow, Palmer, Hampden, and Westover was called in to assist.

Andrews noted that the cause of the fire remains under investigation, but it is not considered suspicious.

No injuries were reported.

Apartment Building, Residential

Norwood, MA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at apartment building; No injuries reported

Chief David Hayes reports that the Norwood Fire Department responded to an apartment building this morning for a fire where a working sprinkler system had a significant impact on limiting damage.

On Wednesday morning at approximately 8:15 a.m., Norwood Fire received multiple calls for an alarm at an apartment building at 165 Lenox St., as well as calls reporting water and smoke on the fourth floor of the building.

Upon arrival, firefighters found a fire in the kitchen area of a unit on the fourth floor. The fire had been largely contained to the area around the stove due to the building’s sprinkler system. Firefighters ensured the fire was extinguished and performed overhaul and cleared smoke from the affected apartment.

There were no residents in the unit at the time of the fire, and there were no reported injuries. No other units in the apartment building sustained fire damage, however, the sprinkler system’s activation caused some additional damage in a portion of the building near the unit. 

Firefighters cleared the scene just before 9:15 a.m.

“This fire is a prime example of why it is important to have working sprinkler systems. Sprinklers can help to prevent injuries and severe property damage in a fire, and the building where this fire occurred likely would have sustained significantly more damage if not for the sprinkler system,” Chief Hayes said. “We would also like to remind everyone of the importance of evacuating a building immediately when a fire alarm sounds. In larger buildings, it can be difficult to know from one part of the building what’s happening in another part, so the safest decision is always just to leave when you hear an alarm.”

The initial investigation indicates that the cause of the fire was accidental.

Other / Not Specified, Other Business

Ipswich, MA – Sprinkler system activated for car fire at car museum

A close call for the owner of some classic cars in Ipswich after a fire broke out at a storage facility.

Police credit a working sprinkler system with stopping a small fire that started in a Lamborghini from getting much larger and spreading to other cars in the facility, including the one parked right next to it, a 1954 “mint” condition Cadillac.

The alarm came in on Saturday at around noon for firefighters to respond to Clam Town Classics on Old Right Road.

“On arrival, they found heavy smoke coming from a unit housing a number of classic cars,” according to a post from Ipswich Public Safety.

“The source of the smoke was a 1972 Lamborghini, where a fire had started under the hood,” according to investigators. “Heat from the blaze had activated three sprinkler heads above the car, containing the fire to its point of origin.”

Chief Paul Parisi credited crews with “quick and decisive work” and said the sprinkler system prevented what could have been a massive and very costly fire.  The mint-condition Cadillac was not damaged.

“Usually you only have one or two sprinkler heads activated. The fact that three sprinkler heads went off tells you just how much heat there was, yet the fire was contained only to the engine compartment,” Chief Parisi said. “The sprinkler system did just what it’s designed to do. Without it, the property loss would have been much more significant.”

The chief said the sprinklers saved hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property.

“As a business owner watching the bottom line, I didn’t care too much for sprinklers.”  said the owner of Clam Town Classics, George Delaney. “Now I’ve done a 180. After seeing the difference they make, I’m a big fan.”

Other - Residential, Residential

Westfield, MA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at residential building; No injuries reported

Firefighters responded to 27 Washington St. Thursday morning after a fire was reported on the third floor of the residential building.

No injuries were reported in the fire, which was called in at 11:48 a.m., but all residents of the building have safely been evacuated until the cleanup can be complete and the fire suppression system in the building can be restored.

Deputy Chief Eric Bishop said the fire began near a refrigerator on the third floor, but the cause is still under investigation.

“Engine crews got to the third floor and found heavy smoke, and other crews evacuated people who had not yet left the building,” said Bishop.

There was some fire and smoke damage on the third floor. Bishop said minimal water was needed to put the fire out because it was mostly contained by the sprinkler system, which firefighters supported by adding water and pressure.

Athletic Club/Sports Facility, Other Business

Boston, MA – Sprinkler system activated for fire at press box grandstand

In the aftermath of a six-alarm fire that tore through a section of the old Suffolk Downs grandstand roof late Monday night, May 30, and into early Tuesday morning, on-site simulcasting has been interrupted as officials continue to investigate the cause of the blaze and assess the situation.

“The fire was contained to the press box structure on the roof. The press box, the television control room, the former placing judges’ stand, the stewards’ stand, and the announcer’s booth, that entire area was destroyed,” said Chip Tuttle, the CEO of Sterling Suffolk Racecourse, which sold the property to HYM Development Company in 2017 but continues to lease and operate the simulcasting and advance deposit wagering business.

The grandstand has not been in use since live racing ended at the end of June 2019, although the clubhouse has remained open for simulcasting. Suffolk Downs conducted simulcasting Memorial Day and closed at 6:30 p.m. The fire broke out at 10 p.m. in the building that was constructed in 1935.

“Because the television control room was destroyed, we’re going to have some interruption of on-site simulcasting,” Tuttle said. “We’re just trying to ascertain today how long that’s going to be.”

He added that as soon as the fire started, the sprinkler system was deployed, and the Boston Fire Department responded immediately. Boston EMS crews were also on the scene.

The fire was classified as five-alarm by 11 p.m. Monday, and by 12 a.m. Tuesday it was a six-alarm blaze. Mutual aid partners from six additional fire departments across Metro Boston were called in. Boston Fire Commissioner Jack Dempsey was in command on the scene and by midnight ordered all firefighters off the Suffolk Downs roof before the flames surged through it.

The Boston Fire Department tweeted that due to the limited water supply in the area, firefighters had to relay pump to get water to the structure, which is a maneuver that required thousands of feet of hose. Firefighters battled the blaze all night, and although it was contained by Tuesday morning, they were still visible on the scene Tuesday afternoon checking for hot spots and containing them.

HYM Development is in the process of repurposing the 161-acre racetrack property into a multi-mixed use development that will include 10,000 rental apartments, condominiums, office parks, restaurants, retail businesses, and entertainment venues. An official with HYM said May 31 that the fire damage did not affect the portion of the development currently under construction and that the redevelopment is continuing.  

Repairs to the old grandstand are to be determined.

“Whether the building was ultimately coming down or part of it was going to be preserved, I don’t know,” Tuttle said.