October 2022

The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 380 emergency incidents during the month of October 2022 including 45 box alarms and 335 still alarms. The department responded to three requests for mutual aid during October, twice to Reading and once to Saugus. The department received mutual aid twelve times during the month of October, four times from Reading, twice each from Lynnfield and Stoneham and once each from Melrose, North Reading, Saugus and Woburn. A crew from Engine 1 under Acting Lieutenant Gerald Sancinito covered a vacant Reading fire station twice during the midmorning and early afternoon of October 19 while that department was tied up at several calls. A crew from Engine 2 led by Lieutenant Joseph Albert assisted the Saugus Fire Department at the scene of a 2-alarm house fire a 31 Susan Drive during the early evening of October 31.

Firefighters under the command of Captain John Walsh responded to a reported truck fire near a building at 84 New Salem Street during the early evening of October 15. Crews arrived within two minutes to find a box truck heavily involved in fire parked next to an overhead door for Commonwealth Tank Inc. The fire had penetrated the door and was extending into the building. Captain Walsh immediately struck a second alarm as the business stores considerable quantities of both new and waste oil on site. The second alarm brought engines from Melrose, Stoneham and Reading to the fire as well as a North Reading ladder truck. Wakefield Fire Chief Michael Sullivan responded to the scene to assume overall command of the incident. Firefighters used firefighting foam to knock down the fire inside the box truck while an additional hose line was deployed inside the building to keep the fire from extending into the building. Fortunately, this effort was successful and there was no fire extension beyond the immediate area of the overhead door and adjoining roof. Smoke exhaust fans were utilized to vent the overhead bay of residual smoke. A trooper from the State Fire Marshal’s Office was called to the scene to assist local fire and police personnel determine the cause of the fire, which was determined to be an accidental electrical failure occurring inside the truck. There were no injuries as a result of the fire. All firefighters had cleared the scene by 8:40 P.M. A Saugus and Woburn engine as well as a Lynnfield Tower ladder covered Wakefield Fire Headquarters during the fire.

Captain John Walsh led another group of firefighters investigating an odor of smoke inside 30 Crescent Street during the afternoon of October 1. Firefighters traced the burning odor to a frayed electrical line in a basement crawl space that was improperly attached to a cast iron sewer pipe and some cooper piping. The Wakefield Municipal gas and Light Department shut down all power to this 6-unit apartment building. The Electrical Inspector was notified and will follow up with the building owner. There was no extension of smoke and fire beyond the smoldering wires. A Stoneham fire engine covered fire headquarters during this incident.

Firefighters under the command of Captain Paul Pronco responded to the Northeast Regional Vocational school on Hemlock Road during the morning of October 12 after school officials reported an odor of propane gas inside the building. Responding firefighters spoke with school officials and pinpointed the area that the odor was coming to the area of the culinary arts kitchen. A thorough investigation revealed that a gas line fitting in the area of the kitchen stove was leaking slightly. The control valve to this propane gas line was located and shut off. Propane gas levels were monitored in the area while it was being ventilated with fresh air. The school staff notified their propane vendor to make follow-up repairs. A high level of cooperation between fire light department and school officials kept all students safe while this incident was remediated. The students were allowed to re-enter the school once the area was ventilated.

All groups attended medical classes as part of their Emergency Medical Technician certificates. Department members continued their annual in-service business inspections of commercial properties. The department’s entire inventory of ground ladders was inspected on October 21 and found to be in good working order. Several groups conducted vehicle extrication training during October at Howe’s tow yard on North Avenue. All duty groups practiced in techniques involving the low angle rope rescue of patients during the month of October. This involved hands on training at both Wakefield Fire Headquarters and the town woods behind the JJ Round playground. All groups reviewed procedures and equipment used in the investigation of carbon monoxide incidents. Wakefield Firefighter Benjamin Tomsyck graduated from the Massachusetts firefighting Academy Recruit Training Class 305 on August 5, 2022. He was assigned to Group 1 under Captain Randy Hudson. The department wishes Firefighter Tomsyck a long and productive career with in the fire service.

All public and private elementary and secondary schools received fire drills during the month of October. The Doyle and Dolbeare Schools conducted an additional evacuation drill during October. Ladder 1 visited children at the Canterbury Children’s Center on October 12 and 13 as well as a group of students studying emergency management at the Northeast Regional Vocational School on October 14. The department participated in the annual Town Day celebration on the lower common on October 8 and the Wakefield 101 orientation for new Wakefield residents on October 20.

Incident Response Report

Fire Prevention Report