Newton & Watertown Firefighters battle House Fire on Town Line

At 12:30AM on Saturday October 26th Newton Fire Transmitted a box for a reported house fire on Boyd Street. Car 2, Engine 1, Engine 2, Engine 4, Ladder 1, Ladder 3 and Cataldo Medic responded. Soon after it was learned the address was 119 Boyd Street and was in Watertown the Fire Department was notified. Watertown Car 2, Engine 1, Engine 3, Ladder 1 and Rescue 2 responded.

Newton Engine 4 was first to arrive and reported fire showing from the rear porches of a 2.5 Story Wood Frame in the rear of another house. Due to wires and trees no ladder trucks could get close and hand ladders were thrown to the buildings upper floors. Engine 4 stretched several 2.5" attack lines and entered the building to try to stop the rapid spread of fire. Watertown Ladder 2 was added and Command transmitted a Working Fire.

At 1:02AM Command transmitted a 2nd Alarm after the fire had extended and taken full control of the attic. The rear porches collapsed and the Deputy gave the order to evacuate the building. Watertown Engine 2, Belmont Engine 1 and Waltham Ladder 2 responded on the 2nd Alarm.

Crews battled the fire from the exterior with several master streams until about 2:30AM when the fire was placed under control. No one was injured and the fire remains under investigation. 5 People were displaced by the fire and being assisted by the American Red Cross.

Early Morning Fire Damages Waltham Home

At 2:09AM on a Hot & Humid Thursday July 18th 2013 Waltham 911 Dispatch received a call for a Kitchen fire at 47 Banks Street. Box 255 was struck and Engine 2, Engine 4, Rescue 6 & Ladder Tower 1 along with C-2 were dispatched. Squad 5 was dispatched as RIT and Cataldo Medic 1 was also dispatched.

Ladder 1 arrived on scene and reported smoke showing from the 1st Floor of a 2.5 Story Wood Frame. Engine 2 arrived shortly after and stretched a 4" feeder to the Hydrant and stretched an attack line into the 1st Floor. C-2 arrived on scene and declared a "Working Fire". The fire was quickly knocked down and contained to the 1st Floor Kitchen.

The 1 Occupant and the Cat both escaped safely. The fire is under investigation at this time.

Early Morning House Fire Kills 1 and Sends 15 to Hospital in Allston

On Sunday April 28th 2013 at 6:33AM Boston Fire Alarm struck Box 514 for a report of a building fire at 87 Linden Street in Allston. This street has been the scene of many serious fires over the years. As first due Engine 41 & Ladder 14 pulled out of there station Fire Alarm advised companies they were "receiving calls". On arrival Ladder 14 called off with heavy smoke showing from the 2nd Floor and reported people were jumping from the upper floors and requested a 2nd Alarm.

Companies began arriving from all directions and pulled lines off Engine 41, Engine 51 & Engine 29 to begin an aggressive interior attack. District 11 arrived on scene and reported he had a fire in a 2 Story 30x32 Wood Frame w/ fire on 2nd floor and attic. Rescue 1 began a primary search of the building to search for any victims as companies began to attack the fire on the interior.

The fire had gained head way on the companies and around 6:45AM all companies were ordered to stay out of the attic. At 6:57AM the dreaded transmission came over the scanner "MAYDAY MAYDAY". A Member had fallen through a hole on the 2nd Floor down to the 1st Floor. Deputy Chief Dunbar activated the RIT (Rapid Intervention Team) and struck a 3rd Alarm. Firefighters quickly located the firefighter and brought him outside to Boston EMS. He was transported to a Boston Hospital with Non-Life Threatening Injuries.

Residents began advising Boston Police that some one was missing and possibly in the 2nd Floor or attic. Companies threw several ground ladders to the rear as the interior stairs had burned away. Rescue 1 began making another search of the building as companies began advancing lines. AT 7:12AM  Rescue 1 had a chilling transmission. As you heard a firefighter screaming in the background Rescue 1 said "RESCUE 1 MAYDAY MAYDAY WE HAVE A MAN THROUGH THE HOLE ON THE 2ND FLOOR MAN DOWN". A Member of Engine 29 fell through a hole on the 2nd Floor. Rescue 1 and other members of Engine 29 located the firefighter and brought him outside to Boston EMS.

With 2 Firefighters already injured falling through holes the Deputy gave up on interior operations and ordered all companies to evacuate the building. Companies went defensive and by 8AM they had the fire knocked down.

15 People were transported and treated by Boston EMS. 9 Were residents and 6 were Firefighters. Sadly a female victim was located deceased in the attic after the fire was knocked down. The fire remains under investigation at this time.

Fire Damages Trucks at Local Construction Company in Waltham

On Wednesday April 24th I had not photographed anything in a while and it had been quiet since the Marathon Bombings and Manhunt so I thought it would be another quiet night.

 Around 9PM I had just returned home from the Red Sox Game at Fenway. As I was relaxing sitting down to watch Chicago Fire at 10:10PM my scanner went off "Attention Engine 1, Engine 4, Ladder 2 and Rescue 6". I knew that response well it was a full assignment for a structure fire. Listening further it was Box 234 and it was being struck for 18 Fern Street J.J Obrien & Sons a Local construction contractor.

I went to my front window and from my 3rd floor apt I could see smoke in the distance meaning this was not a false alarm. The scanner went off again and Squad 5 as RIT and Medic 2 were dispatched. I began to grab all my gear as all the Moody Street companies raced past my house.

Engine 4 arrived on scene first finding 2 construction trucks on fire with one fully involved in the driveway only feet from a 2.5 Story Wood Frame Dwelling. C-2 requested a Feeder to be laid as the fire was threatening to spread to the house. Firefighers stretched 2 lines off Engine 4 quickly containing the fire to the 2 trucks.

The fire remains under investigation at this time.

Mid-Day Fire in Waltham Damages 3rd Floor Apartment

At 12:54PM on Tuesday March 12th Waltham Fire struck Box 13 for a reported fire on the 3rd Floor of a building at 11 Spruce Street in Waltham. Car 2 (C-2), Engine 1, Squad 5, Ladder 2 & Rescue 6 responded to the box.

Waltham Police arrived seconds later to find smoke coming from the building and residents escaping via the fire escape in the rear. C-2 was arrived on scene and reported heavy smoke showing from the 3rd Floor of a 3 Story Wood Frame Occupied Multiple Dwelling.

Ladder 2 threw the stick to the 3rd Floor of the building and Engine 1 ran a 1 3/4" line over the stick to the 3rd Floor. The deputy chief requested a Working Fire assignment sending Engine 2 as the RIT Team and Cataldo Medic 1 to the scene.

Firefighters located 2 people on the 2nd Floor and escorted them outside. When firefighters reached the room of origin they found a Mattress on fire and carried it to a nearby window and thew it out into the parking lot. Squad 5 ran a line and extinguished the Mattress Fire.

The fire scorched the wall behind the bed but did not extend into the walls. There were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation but could be electrical in nature.

Basement Fire During Snow Storm Damages Waltham Home

At 9:11AM on Sunday February 17th 2013 during a Snow Storm that brought 3" of snow and strong winds ,Waltham Fire struck Box 234 for a report of a building fire at 10 Sun Street off Prospect Street. C-2, Engine 1, Engine 4, Rescue 6 & Ladder 2 responded to the Box. While enroute multiple 911 calls were coming in reporting a fire in the building.

On arrival Engine 4 called off with smoke showing from the rear of the building. Firefighters soon located a fire in the basement and stretched a line off Engine 4 and brought it into the basement. The Hydrant next door to the building was not working and 2nd due Engine (Engine 1) had to lay a 4" feeder from the Hydrant on Prospect Street to the front of the building (Approx 450 Feet) to establish a water supply.

On arrival of C-2 (Deputy Hebert) gave a size up of the scene. He reported he had a Fire in the basement of a 2 Story Wood Frame, Primary searches were ongoing and 1 Line was stretched and operating. The Deputy then requested a Working Fire sending Squad 5 (RIT) and Cataldo Medic 1 to the scene.

Companies during there primary search located the family pets and brought them outside to be evaluated by Cataldo. Command requested an additional Cataldo EMS Unit (Ambulance 2) for help with evals.

Firefighters quickly knocked down the fire in the basement and ventilated the home. NO injuries were reported. The fire is under investigation at this time.

Newton Apartment Fire Leaves 8 Homeless

At 1:56PM on a Cold & windy Monday Afternoon on February 4^th Newton Fire Alarm struck Box 1251 for a report of fire in the walls of the apartment building at 25 Charlesbank Road. While enroute Companies were updated that they were receiving several calls and a report that a mother & child may be trapped.

C-2 arrived shortly after and reported fire showing from the 2^nd Floor on arrival. The Deputy soon requested a Working Fire bringing an additional Engine company to the fire. 7 Minutes later interior companies reported the fire had extended into the attic and the Deputy requested a 2^nd Alarm. I responded to the scene on the 2^nd Alarm and while enroute the Deputy requested a 3^rd Alarm. Approx 50 Firefighters battled the flames in the very cold and windy conditions for about an hour before finally bringing it under control.

3 People were transported to the hospital including a Adult Male with burns, a mother & child w/ smoke inhalation. 1 Firefighter was also injured when he fell from the attic of the building. The Newton Fire Department received mutual aid from Watertown, Waltham, Wellesley, Needham, Weston & Brookline for station coverage. Boston Engine 51 responded to the fire.

The fire remains under investigation but investigators belive a plumber working in a 2^nd Floor bathroom using a tourch may have started the fire. The American Red Cross is assisting the residents displaced by the fire as the building is considered a total loss.

                                           Heavy Smoke Showing

                                     Stretching a Line off Engine 14

                                            Fire Thru The Roof

                                     Newton Fire New Engine 10

                                   Newton Firefighters Changing Bottles

Rescues Made at Dorchester 3rd Alarm

At 4:15PM on Sunday January 13th just before the Patriots & Texans Kicked off Fire Alarm struck Box 1877 in District 7 for the address of 5 Everett Avenue. Engine 21 on arrival had smoke showing from the basement of a 3 Story Wood Frame 20x60 OMD.

Engine 21 stretched a line into the basement but the ballon frame construction had already let the fire advance. About 10 Minutes in as Engine 14 charged a line the district chief struck a 2nd Alarm as the fire was extending through the walls into the 1st Floor.

5 Minutes later Command requested an additional Engine & Ladder over the 2nd as the new RIT team. The district chief then requested a 3rd Alarm. Not too soon after Tower ladder 3 reported that while conducting the primary search they located 2 victims on the 3rd Floor. As more lines were stretched in firefighters brought a male down a ground ladder in the rear while a female victim was brought down the stairs to Boston EMS outside the building. They were both transported to the Hospital w/ unknown injuries.

The fire was brought under control by an aggressive interior attack in about 30 Minutes. 14 People were displaced by the fire that caused an estimated $500,000 in Damage.