September 2018

The Wakefield Fire Department responded to 344 emergency incidents during the month of September including 35 box alarms and 309 still alarms.

The department responded to eleven requests for mutual aid during September, three times to Melrose, twice each to Saugus, Stoneham and Revere, and once each to Andover and Woburn. It received mutual aid eight times in September three times from Lynnfield, twice from Reading and once each from Melrose, Stoneham and Saugus.

The communities of Lawrence, North Andover and Andover were rocked by numerous explosions when a natural gas pipeline became over-pressurized during the afternoon of September 13. These communities experienced more than seventy structure fires and explosions within minutes, quickly overwhelming them. The effectiveness of the state’s mutual aid system was displayed in a stunning fashion, with over 300 pieces of fire apparatus being dispatched to the area within an hour from fire department from all over the region including New Hampshire and Maine. Wakefield Engine 1 with Lt. Cliff Silva and Firefighters Christopher Curran, Roberta Taggart and Kevin Wesley were dispatched along with Chief Michael Sullivan to the staging area in the parking lot of the Andover High School as part of a combined task force of more than two dozen fire apparatus from the area. These units were subsequently dispatched to dozens of calls received by the Andover Fire Department over the next several hours as the incident progressed through the evening before it was finally contained and brought under control. It is extremely comforting to know that such a vast array of resources are available to a local fire department should such an incident occur here.

A crew from Engine under Lieutenant David Shinney assisted the Saugus Fire Department at the scene of a structure fire at 76 Lincoln Street during the morning of September 9. Lieutenant Michael Long responded to the 135 American Legion Highway in the City of Revere during the afternoon of September 11 as part of the Massachusetts District 2 Hazardous Material Response Team to help mitigate an ammonia leak at that location. Firefighters from Engine 2 under Acting Lieutenant Jonathan O’Brien and Lieutenant John Mercurio responded to a 5-alarm fire at 10 Franklin Avenue in Revere during the evening of September 16. Lieutenant Robert Taggart and a crew from Engine 2 covered a vacant Stoneham fire station during a gas leak in that community during the afternoon of September 13. Firefighters under the command of Lieutenant Sean Curran assisted the Saugus Fire Department at the scene of a 2-alarm fire at 209 Lynn Fells Parkway during the early evening of September 21. A crew from Engine 1 led by Lieutenant Robert Taggart covered a vacant Woburn fire station during a 2-alarm fire in the community during the afternoon of September 28.

Firefighters under the command of Captain Randy Hudson responded to a reported structure fire at 149 Water Street at approximately 9:40 A.M. on September 15. Firefighter found a fire inside a first floor apartment which was quickly extinguished. The fire created a significant smoke condition throughout the common hallway and stairwells on the 6-unit apartment building. The fire did not extend beyond the room of origin but was severe enough to displace the four occupants of that apartment. The remainder of the occupants were able to remain in the building. The Red Cross responded to the scene to assist the displaced occupants. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental resulting from the overcharging of non-chargeable batteries inside the room of origin. The batteries overheated and exploded, causing the fire. The department received mutual aid from the Stoneham Fire Department at the scene while engines from Saugus and Reading covered fire headquarters.

The Fire Prevention Bureau continues to the monitor many construction projects in town. A final fire alarm and sprinkler inspection for the school was scheduled for September 1 with some minor work to be completed in the gymnasium area remaining. The construction of the 34-unit condominium building at 3 Bennet Street is progressing well, the building’s five-story structure has been completely framed and enclosed. The structural steel for the apartment building at 640 Main Street is rapidly being assembled. All duty groups completed their allotted on-going Emergency Medical Training during September. Fire drills were conducted in all public and private school buildings during September. All of the department’s vehicles successfully passed their Registry of Motor vehicle safety inspections this month.

Incident Response Report

Fire Prevention Report