July 2024

The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 404 emergency incidents during the month of July, 2024 including 45 box alarms and 359 still alarms. The department responded to three requests for mutual aid during July, twice to Melrose and once to the Town of Stoneham. Firefighters from Engine 2 led by Lieutenant Michael Long responded to a 2nd alarm fire to assist Stoneham on July 30th, at 74 Maple Street. The fire was quickly declared under control. The department received mutual aid once during July from the communities of Reading, Stoneham, Melrose, North Reading, Lynnfield, Saugus, Woburn and Malden.

Firefighters under the command of Captain Randy Hudson responded to a report, from a Wakefield Police officer working a nearby detail, of a house fire at 4 Cooper Street the morning of July 30th. Engine 2 arrived first on scene to heavy smoke showing from the 2-family home and reported a working structure fire. Lt. Mike Long and Firefighter Michael Marroquin advanced a hose-line into the first-floor kitchen, which was heavily involved in fire, and made an aggressive interior attack. Ladder 1 utilized the aerial and ground ladders to ventilate the structure while Wakefield Engine 1 stretched a hose-line to the 2nd floor apartment and conducted a primary search, for occupants, of the home. All parties were safely evacuated. A 2nd alarm was struck by Captain Hudson at approximately 1010 hours bringing, Reading, Melrose, Stoneham, North Reading and Saugus to the scene. High temperature and humidity worked against firefighters but the fire was quickly brought under control with the home suffering extensive damage. All occupants were displaced. Unintentional, unattended cooking igniting nearby combustibles was the probable cause of the fire as determined by the State Police Fire and Explosive Unit working jointly with Wakefield’s fire investigation team. Woburn, Lynnfield and Malden covered Wakefield Headquarters during the fire. The quick response and knock-down of the initial heavy fire conditions by the Wakefield Engine 2 Company, out of the Greenwood Station located at 5 Oak Street, prevented this fire from destroying the entire home and potentially communicating to nearby exposure properties such as the Most Blessed Sacrament Church. This is an important reminder that in the event of any emergency – the response time is vital!

On the morning of July 25th, Firefighter Richard Bruno, working a cutting and welding detail at the large new construction site along the Quannapowitt Parkway, prevented what could have been a catastrophic fire within the frame work of the structure slated to house 450 units when complete. Welders super-heated a steel support beam that was braced directly against the wood frame structure which started to burn. Firefighter Bruno was able to recognize the situation and quickly extinguish the fire that would have potentially taken the whole wood frame structure and went to several alarms. Details, such as the one Firefighter Bruno was working, are required on all cutting and welding projects located near combustibles.

July 5th at approximately 0927 hours a tractor trailer, in the area of 365 Audubon Road, traveled down an embankment leaking diesel fuel and hanging the entire tractor trailer up. Companies under the command of Captain Paul Pronco responded and were able to mitigate the leaking saddle tank utilizing booms, absorbent pads and absorbent product. The driver was not injured. The Department of Environmental Protection responded, reporting over 60 gallons of diesel fuel lost. The tractor-trailer was secured and removed by a heavy-duty wrecker with further clean up of the site handled by DEP.

The Department’s new Bauer compressor / air fill station, secured by a recent AFG grant, was delivered and installed by the vendor next to the historic hose tower with all members receiving training on the new system. This system replaces the antiquated twenty-year-old system and has the ability to quickly replenish multiple air cylinders simultaneously as well as digitally record air pressure levels per NFPA Standards. The Department is grateful for this new piece of equipment.

The Fourth of July events were a great success with the Department deploying at least 17 Fire / EMS details around Town during the day’s festivities ensuring safety for everyone including at the site of the fireworks. Wakefield Fire Department members continued monthly Emergency Medical Technician training, through the Prodigy system, as part of their annual continuing education requirements. The Department continued ongoing in-service safety inspections and pre- planning program of various business within the Town during the month of July.

Incident Response Report

Fire Prevention Report