July 2017

The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 348 emergency incidents during the month of July including 38 box alarms and 310 still alarms.

The department responded to four requests for mutual aid during July, twice to Lynnfield and once each to Malden and Waltham. It did not receive any mutual aid during July. A group of firefighters from Engine 2 led by Lieutenant Robert Ford covered a vacant Malden fire station during a 3-alarm fire in that community during the afternoon of July 6.

A crew from Engine 1 consisting of Lieutenant John Mercurio, Firefighter Daniel Hancock and Firefighter Sean Giampa assisted the Waltham Fire Department at the scene of an 8-alarm fire at a commercial complex at 160 Elm Street during the early morning of July 23. This fire involved a group of former mill buildings being converted into condominiums. The recently installed sprinkler system had not yet been turned on, causing the fire to gain considerable headway before the arrival of firefighters and eventually destroying five separate buildings. More than a hundred firefighters from over a dozen communities battled the fire through the night and well into the next day. Wakefield’s crew did not return until approximately 4 P.M. that afternoon.

Firefighters under the command of Captain Paul Pronco extinguished a small fire inside an apartment at 8 Church Street during the afternoon of July 2. A fire was discovered inside an electrical outlet and adjoining wall of a second floor apartment and was quickly extinguished by firefighters. The fire was contained to the immediate area of origin and there were no injuries or displaced occupants as a result of this incident. Firefighter under Captain Randy Hudson responded to a reported kitchen fire during the afternoon of July 25. The fire was located on the stove top of the single family residence and was quickly extinguished. There were no injuries as a result of this fire and the occupants were able to remain in the residence.

Wakefield celebrated the Fourth of July with a large parade, concerts on the common and a professional fireworks display over Lake Quannapowitt during the evening. These events went very smoothly despite the large crowds. Wakefield Police and Fire personnel along with paramedics from Action Ambulance did unfortunately have to respond to the lower common shortly after the professional fireworks display ended when an adult woman severely injured her hands when a large hand held pyrotechnic device detonated while she was holding it. The woman was quickly treated and then transported to a Boston hospital for follow-up care. This incident reinforces the fact that fireworks should only be handled by professionals trained in their proper use.

Firefighters under the direction of Captain Christopher Smith responded to Lake Quannapowitt on the morning of July 16 after receiving reports that a body had been discovered in the lake near the Floral Path off of Church Street. Upon arrival, firefighters found that an adult male had been dragged ashore by Wakefield police officers. Unfortunately the male had been deceased for an unknown period of time and could not be revived.

A large group of children participating in the Middlesex Sheriff’s youth summer camp visited the Public safety Building on July 12. The group toured both the Wakefield police and fire headquarters, learning a lot about what local first responders do on a day to day basis. Wakefield firefighters from Groups 2 and 3 conducted a familiarization tour of the Broadway pumping station sand filters for Crystal Lake hosted by Wakefield Water Superintendent Steve Fitzpatrick. The tour was very informative and will greatly assist firefighters responding to any emergency involving the sand filters.

All groups continue to train with the department’s new 1250 gallon-per-minute pumper. New equipment for the engine arrives daily and is being installed. The new engine will be in service by the middle of August. The new engine will become engine 1 and will be quartered at fire headquarters on Union Street. It has been named the Lucius Beebe Number 1 in honor of the town’s first engine 1 that was in service with the town from 1882 to 1907. The present engine 1 will be renumbered to engine 5 and used as a ready reserve engine at fire headquarters.

Incident Response Report

Fire Prevention Report