May 2014

The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 266 emergency incidents during the month of May including 31 box alarms and 235 still alarms.

The department responded to five requests for mutual aid during May, once to Reading, once to Lynnfield, once to North Reading and twice to Stoneham. It received mutual aid thirteen times during the month of May, three times from Lynnfield, twice each from Melrose, Stoneham, North Reading and Reading and once each from Saugus and Woburn. A crew led by Lieutenant Christopher Smith covered reading Fire headquarters during an incident in that town during the evening of May 4. Lieutenant Sean Curran and the crew of Engine 4 covered the Lynnfield Fire Department during an extensive brush fire in that community during the afternoon of May 5. A crew under the command of Lieutenant Robert Taggart responded to a second alarm fire in Stoneham during the early evening of May 11. Lieutenant Brian Purcell led a crew from Engine 2 while they covered Stoneham Fire Headquarters during the afternoon of May 25. Lieutenant Michael Long led a crew from Engine 1 while they covered the North Reading Fire Headquarters during a fire in that community on the morning of May 31.

Crews under the command of Captain Randy Hudson were able to extinguish a smoky fire in the basement of 45 Avon Street before it was able to extend to the rest of the structure. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental with an electrical origin being strongly suspected. The fire caused considerable smoke damage in the multi-family dwelling. There were no injuries and no one was displaced as a result of the fire. The same crews led by Captain Randy Hudson checked on a fire in the porch of a residence at 6 Highland Avenue during the afternoon of May 6. The fire, caused by the careless disposal of smoking materials, was quickly knocked down by the homeowner using a garden hose.

Firefighters under the command of Captain Paul Pronco responded to Wakefield’s first multiple alarm fire of 2014 during the afternoon of May 15. The fire started on the first floor of a two-family residence at 62 Montrose Avenue, causing considerable fire damage to the first floor and heat and smoke damage to the rest of the structure. Firefighting operations were hampered by the hot muggy weather conditions present during the fire. One firefighter was injured and seven residents were displaced as a result of this fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

An electrical malfunction in a ceiling-mounted modine heater started a fire in some pipe insulation at Anton Cleaner’s, 269 North Avenue, during the afternoon of May 19. Crews under Captain Joseph Riley were able to contain the damage to the heating unit and nearby pipe insulation. The business was able to reopen after a short period.

A wood-fired brick pizza oven inadvertently ignited some wooden decking on the porch of the residence at 83 Kendrick Road during the evening of May 26. Firefighters under the command of Lieutenant Robert Taggart responded and quickly ensured that the fire did not extend beyond the porch area.

Ladder 1 visited the tall Spire Nursery School on May 28 and a group from Parents of Tots visited fire headquarters during the morning of May 30. The department conducted fire drills in all public and private schools during the month of May. The on-duty shifts conducted quarterly fire inspections of all schools, nursing homes, boarding houses and hotels during the month of May.

The department’s new Seagrave aerial ladder truck continues to be outfitted with equipment with an anticipated date of June 6 as its first day of service. All department members received factory training on the new truck from Seagrave representatives during the week of May 19.

Incident Response Report

Fire Prevention Report