March 2024

The same Wakefield fire crews led by Captain Randy Hudson responded to a dumpster fire up against the rear of the building occupied by the Charm Restaurant and Brother’s Restaurant, located at 404 to 412 Main Street, during the afternoon of March 30. The fire was quickly knocked down, preventing it from extending into the adjoining buildings. The fire damage was completely contained to the dumpster. There was no extension of fire or smoke into these buildings. There were no injuries to either civilians or firefighters during the fire. A detailed investigation determined that the fire had originated within the dumpster as a result of the careless disposal of smoking materials.

Lieutenant Philip Preston retired from the Wakefield Fire Department on March 5 after serving with the Wakefield Fire Department for more than thirty years. Preston, a well-respected and knowledgeable fire officer, was appointed to the Wakefield Fire Department as a Permanent Firefighter on October 4, 1993. He was appointed as a Permanent Lieutenant on December 28, 2012. Preston was the Engine 1 Lieutenant for Group 1 under Captain Randy Hudson at the time of his retirement. Phil was always willing to serve on committees for new fire apparatus, lending his time and knowledge to developing specification for new fire trucks and inspecting them upon their completion. He also served for a number of years with the Rutland, Massachusetts Fire Department, where he was able to share his experiences with the members of both departments.
The department will miss Phil’s extensive experience in the fire service and wish him a long, happy and healthy retirement.

The department also acknowledged the 50th anniversary of the line-of-duty death of Lt. Robert T. Sullivan, who died while fighting a general alarm fire at the corner of Main and Albion Streets. Retired Fire Chief David Parr gave a brief but moving account of the fire that occurred in the block of stores that contained Ames Drug Store, Florence’s Fashions and Ray Parker’s Men’s Clothing Store. The Chief’s children, Patrick and Jennifer, along with his wife Lisa attended the service, which also recognized the sacrifices made by his Uncle John “Dinty” and Great Uncle Daniel, who also died in the line-of-duty, as well as his Uncle Warren and Grandfather Thomas
Sullivan. The service was very humbling and was deeply appreciated by both Chief Sullivan and his family.

All department members participated in Emergency Medical Technician training classes as part of their annual continuing education requirements. The department continued its ongoing in-service safety inspections and pre-planning of various businesses in town during March. All duty groups received specialized training on tactics and strategies related to the extinguishment of vehicles fueled by compressed natural gas (CNG).

Incident Response Report

Fire Prevention Report